Say you won't let go
by CrimeMarie16
Summary: What would happen if Sharon and Andy met while in college and became friends? Would their lives still have turned out the same? Would they still be enemies for most of their careers? Starts pre-closer era and will go up to current day Major crimes. Based on the James Arthur song "Say you won't let go".
1. The Fateful Night

**_I met you in the dark, you lit me up_**

 ** _You made me feel as though I was enough_**

 ** _We danced the night away, we drank too much_**

 ** _I held your hair back when_**

 ** _You were throwing up_**

 ** _Then you smiled over your shoulder_**

 ** _For a minute, I was stone-cold sober_**

 ** _I pulled you closer to my chest_**

 ** _And you asked me to stay over_**

 ** _I said, I already told ya_**

 ** _I think that you should get some rest_**

December 1985

Sharon didn't go out much, she was 19 and in her second year of college at UCLA. She was always too focused on her studies to let anything like partying distract her, but when her roommate Andrea told her she was going to a party down on the beach alone at night Sharon had no choice except to go with her to keep an eye on her, it also helped that she needed the distraction away from her "let's take a break" boyfriend. Sharon wasn't planning on having a good time, she never did at these kinds of things.

It was mid-December in Los Angeles and the temperatures at night were still in the 70s so she dressed casually in purple fitted tank top and blue jean capris, she wore her sandals but took them off once they got to the beach. When Sharon and Andrea arrived, they made their way over to the bonfire once they were able to spot it. The fire was going strong and was located not too far from the pier, there were many other students already dancing and having fun.

The somewhat large group of 20-30 young adults were there to celebrate the end of finals, it was a combination of students from UCLA and USC. They all had the same professor who taught a political science class at both universities and it had been a very rough semester. Mr. Beckerman was one of the toughest professors but the students who studied hard and passed his class tended to do very well throughout the rest of the course load for political science and criminology majors.

Sharon was pre-law and studying to be a lawyer and then she wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and become a judge, her father was a judge in Dakota County, Minnesota and was known as being a stickler for the rules. Andrea was also pre-law and that was how they met actually, they were paired together as roommates their freshman year and had become inseparable ever since.

Sharon was also still trying to decide what to do about her boyfriend, Jack. She had met him last spring and they had hit it right off, but at the moment he decided they were on a break because she wouldn't hang out with him that much. The only reason she wouldn't was because she really had to pass her class, but Jack didn't think she needed to study because he had passed Beckerman's class easy without a lot of study. Sharon told Jack she wasn't him and needed the extra time, which led to an argument and her current predicament.

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Andy was ecstatic he was one of the only 20-30 students out of 150 who had managed to pass Beckerman's class this semester. He was in his last year of college at USC and needed the class to graduate before heading off to the academy in the fall. He still had no idea how he passed though because he liked to go out with his friends and didn't usually need to study, he was just always able to get by with the knowledge he'd gained from his detective father growing up.

Once Andy figured out it wasn't going to be an easy class he worked his butt off to pass and turned down his friend Louie on many occasions to go drinking and picking up girls, Louie on the other hand didn't pass and was going to have to repeat the class next semester so he wasn't invited to the beach party. Andy didn't care at the moment he was just happy to pass and planned to have a great time celebrating.

When Andy got to the party he was late because Louie had tried to talk him out of going but he finally managed to get out of their apartment. As he walked up to the party he noticed a girl standing off to the side looking like she would rather be anywhere else but where she was. She looked a little younger than him and she was gorgeous, she had long auburn hair that she wore down in waves and he laughed when he noticed they were both wearing the same color purple. Andy wouldn't readily admit it but purple happened to be his favorite color, he joked with his friends that he wore it to make the ladies think he had a sensitive side.

Right now, Andy was trying to stay away from girls, he and his longtime girlfriend Sandra were taking a break because she wanted to "date around" and not settle for her high school boyfriend. So even though he wanted to celebrate his class he still had something to be bummed about. Andy was upset because he thought he was going to spend the rest of his life with Sandra and he was in a dark place romantically at the moment. Andy decided to walk up to the girl and try to talk to her since she also seemed to be down about something.

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Sharon saw him walking up to her out of the corner of her eye, she wasn't in the mood to fend off some guy hitting on her so when he introduced himself she was determined she was going to tell him to leave her alone.

"Hi, I'm Andy. I can tell you probably don't want to have some strange guy hit on you, but I promise that my intent was just to try to get you to enjoy the celebration since you managed to pass unpassable Beckeman's class."

And just like he actually had her smiling and before she knew it she was reaching her hand out to shake his outstretched hand and saying: "Hi, I'm Sharon."

"I think we are the only ones here who got the memo to wear purple," he said to try and get her to laugh.

She did laugh and then replied: "I think you may be right about that."

"Do you want to grab a drink?"

"Might as well, maybe I will actually start to have some fun. Just be careful, when I drink I like to let loose and dance."

"That is fine by me, I will be more than happy to keep you company even if you start making a fool of yourself," he responded with a slight laugh.

Sharon slightly glared at him for a minute and he thought he'd said the wrong thing until she started laughing and said, "Well, just so you know I used to take dance classes so you my friend will be the one looking like a fool," and then she started walking toward the keg. Andy smirked and then followed her to go and get a beer.

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Sharon actually found herself enjoying her night once her and Andy started talking and dancing. At one point her favorite song, _Say you won't let go_ had come on the radio and she forgot she wasn't at home in her shower and started singing. She forgot about Jack for the moment and all of her issues with him and focused on the handsome man in front of her who took the time to cheer her up before having fun himself.

Andy decided he loved her voice and thought to himself that not only was she beautiful she had a great voice as well. He found himself enjoying Sharon's company and he decided he liked they way she made him feel, when he was with Sandra he sometimes felt like he was inadequate and that he was not living up to her standards. Sharon on the other hand, made Andy feel like he was enough especially with the way started to let loose and open up once he started talking to her. She actually seemed to be enjoying the party now.

At one point they took a break and went over to stand near the water close to the pier. Andy turned to look at Sharon and noticed a far off look in her eye and spoke up:

"What's got you so lost in thought?"

"Hmmmmm" she hummed as shed turned to look at him, "oh just my idiot boyfriend, well my 'let's take a break' boyfriend"

"Oh so you have one of those too," he said as he laughed slightly. Sharon gave him a quizzical look so he continued: "My girlfriend Sandra decided we needed a break too."

Sharon nodded in understanding and Andy all about why Jack decided they were on a break and he told her: "You deserve better anyway."

She blushed at his comment and then asked him:"And what about you, I can tell someone has you torn up inside too?"

"She decided I wasn't enough and went to try and find someone who she thought understood her more than I do, I mean who does that after being together for 5 years?"

"I don't know, I'm sorry Andy."

"Nah, don't be. I will get over it."

Sharon smiled and repeated his words back to him:"You deserve better anyway."

Andy smiled and then drug Sharon back over to the group and back to dancing. Her eyes lit up and she started laughing at his crazy antics. Sharon and Andy ended up losing track of how many drinks they had and by the end of the night Sharon realized that Andrea had done the same and was not drive them home. Andy offered to split a cab with the girls since it turned out their apartment was on the way to his, Sharon didn't mind since she liked Andy and wanted to spend a little more time with him.

Once they got to the apartment Andy helped Sharon get Andrea inside since she had fallen asleep in the cab. He was about to leave when Sharon suddenly turned green and darted into the bathroom. When Andy heard sounds of retching he walked into the bathroom and held her hair up and out of the way.

After she had finished throwing up, Andy spoke up: "I think that you should drink some water and get some rest, so hopefully you will feel better in the morning."

Sharon turned in his arms where she had ended up after being sick and said with a smile: "Do you want to stay?"

As Andy pulled her closer to his chest he suddenly felt stone-cold sober and like his heart was pounding out of his chest. She was still gorgeous even after she had been drinking and throwing up and he wished he was that guy that would just jump into bed with another girl after just breaking up with another. He had never felt about anyone like he felt about Sharon and he had just met her. But he was scared he would just be rebounding so instead of saying yes Andy said:

"No, you should really get some rest. I'm going to head home, if I don't go down soon my cab might leave me behind and then I'd have to walk home," he said as he started to help her up.

She answered with a small smile "You really are a good guy, aren't you Andy?"

He just shrugged and helped her to her room and into her bed. "Good night Sharon, I really do hope you feel better in the morning."

Sharon mumbled a thanks to Andy as she already started dozing off. Andy took it upon himself to make sure the apartment was locked up tight and both girls in bed before he let himself out and as Andy left he wondered when he would get the chance to see Sharon again. He could tell just from the night that he would really like to get to know her better.

What Andy didn't know that night was that he wouldn't get the chance to get to know Sharon anytime in the near future, it would be awhile before the two ran into each other again because due to the amount of alcohol consumed they never exchanged phone numbers or last names. Andy wouldn't even remember her address in the morning.

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 _ **So this concludes my very first chapter of my very first fanfiction story. I got the song "Say you won't let go" stuck in my head and every time I heard it I thought of Shandy and decided to try my hand at writing a story since I've read the majority**_ _**of the wonderful ones out there. I hope you all will bear with me and please review to let me know how I am doing. Thanks for reading!**_


	2. The Lost Time

The next day when Andy realized he had no way finding Sharon again he was upset, he really really liked her and he felt like she could be someone he could love. He walked around in a sour mood for weeks so much that Louie was starting to notice. Louie just assumed he was upset over Sandra, because Andy had never told him about meeting Sharon since Louie didn't want to hear about the party he wasn't invited to. Louie took it upon himself to go to Sandra's apartment and talk some sense into her, deciding that his best friend was an idiot since he wasn't doing anything himself.

When Sandra opened the door, she was very surprised to see it was Louie on the other side, the smile she had on her face dropped and she asked: "so he sent you over here?"

"No, Andy has no idea I am here. I came because I can't stand his moping around all the time, looking like someone kicked his puppy."

"I don't know what to tell you Louie- ", she started to say until he cut her off.

"No you listen to me, that man obviously loves you and is so broken hearted that you left him" she started to interrupt but he just held up his hand to silence her "you need to figure yourself out and tell him that you love him and stop his moping around, I can't stand it anymore." He said the last word with finality and then walked off leaving Sandra at her door with her jaw dropped. Louie felt pretty good about himself now and decided he deserved to celebrate what he hoped would be the end of Andy's moping around, so he headed for the nearest place to pick-up women.

After Louie left, she really started thinking. Sandra realized that if Andy was moping around the way Louie described then maybe she was wrong about him. Maybe she wasn't settling by being with Andy because he really did love her.

She sat in silence for a few more minutes and then got up, she checked herself out in the mirror and decided she looked good. She was wearing a blue fitted t-shirt and jeans; she knew Andy loved the color blue despite what he said about purple. One last fluff to her hair and she grabbed her keys and walked out of the apartment door determined to get Andy back.

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Andrea woke Sharon early the next day by jumping on the bed and asking, "soooooo how did it go with that hot guy last night?"

Sharon looked at the clock and noticed it was barely after 9 am obviously, Andrea didn't have a hangover. Sharon hadn't gone to sleep until well after 2 am and was planning on sleeping in, that is until her lovely roommate woke her up. She rolled over and mumbled under her breath something along the lines of "payback is going to be hell for her".

Even though Sharon said that last bit quietly, Andrea still heard it and just shrugged and poked at Sharon while saying, "sooooooooo, tell me about the hunk!"

That hot guy's name is Andy and nothing happened. He helped me get you home and then left," as Sharon said the last part she looked away with a look on her face that told Andrea there was more to the story. As Sharon started to get out of the bed and walk away from Andrea the latter followed her and continued pestering Sharon with questions.

"uh huh, you are not getting away from me that easily"

"I don't know what you are talking about and you need to call Gavin and apologize to him." Sharon told her as she walked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

"I'll call Gavin later, I'll take him shopping this week and he will be over me puking on his new Armani suit last night" she said with a wink and then "and don't change the subject, tell me what else happened."

"Ok, fine. Once we got you settled I started throwing up and he held my hair up. I asked him if he wanted to stay over-," Andrea cut her off with a squeal, Sharon rolled her eyes and continued, "but he was a good guy and told me to get some rest and then he left."

"Ah, but you like him, don't you?"

Sharon grabbed a cup of coffee and sat on a stool at the island in their kitchen before she smiled a little and then responded sadly, "I do, but I have no way of finding him. I never got his phone number or his last name. Anyway, I'm still waiting to hear from Jack."

"Well as far as I concerned that jerk can stay away. And about Andy, things have a way of working out the way they are supposed to you'll see him again."

"I hope so."

As the weeks passed Sharon gave up on seeing Andy again and fell back into her normal daily routine, he was always at the back of her mind though.

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As Jack stood outside Sharon's apartment he smiled smugly to himself, he had a great couple of weeks partying and having his share of women until he decided he wanted her back. So, he stood here waiting for her to come down so they could go to dinner. He had called her a week ago and begged for forgiveness and she agreed to try again with him.

Sharon walked up to him and reached up to give him a kiss and then whispered against his lips, "Hi, I've missed you." She truly had missed him and with the hope gone that she would see Andy again she felt that she should just move on and Jack had groveled enough that she forgave him.

"Hi, honey are you ready to go," he asked as he gave her another kiss. She smiled and nodded, so he opened her door and helped her into the car. Jack smiled to himself she really was easy to convince to get back together, he had plans for his future and she was going to help him achieve those plans she just didn't know it yet.

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November 1986

It was now almost a year since the party and the last time Andy had seen Sharon, he was currently pacing his apartment. He was nervous. About 3 months after the party Sandra had come to his door begging for forgiveness and after a couple of weeks he gave in. Now Andy was pacing because he was going to propose to Sandra tonight at dinner, he was just waiting for her to be finished getting ready. She had moved in with him about two months ago, right after Louie had married Liz and moved in with her.

She walked out of the bedroom in a tight blue dress that came to right above her knee and had her sandy blonde hair down in ringlets, she looked beautiful. Andy felt his mouth go dry at the sight of her and couldn't bring himself to say anything until she asked him if he was ok.

"Andy, Andy are you ok?" she asked as he came out of his trance. "What, yeah yeah I'm alright you look beautiful," he replied as he kissed her and steered her toward the door. He was excited for the night and he really couldn't wait to move forward and hopefully finally get Sharon out of his mind for good.

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July 1988

Sharon smiled at Jack as they moved across the dance floor. It was their wedding and it had turned out better than she imagined. It was the summer right after she had finally graduated with her Bachelor's degree from UCLA and she was starting the police academy in the fall. It wasn't the original plan but Jack convinced her that they both would not be able to go to law school at the same time. He would go first since he was a year ahead of her and then he would put her through law school after he got settled into a practice. Sharon didn't mind because she wanted to understand both sides of the law; the side that investigated it and the side that prosecuted it, she figured it would give her a leg up down the road.

As Sharon looked around her she spotted Andrea and Gavin off to the side laughing and having a good time. They weren't too fond of her marrying Jack and delaying law school since they were both headed there in the fall, but they were her best friends and would be there for her no matter what. They stood up for her as her bridal party and were going to be helping her and Jack move into the small 3-bedroom house they had just purchased in the Echo Park neighborhood. It was only 10 mins from the LAPD and would be perfect for her.

Jack had already finished his first year of law school and was always so sweet to Sharon. He would go out with his friends on Friday nights and then every Saturday was his date night with Sharon. He had her wrapped around his finger and right where he wanted her, he was getting through law school and she was working to pay for it. He laughed to himself occasionally when he thought about how easy it was to convince her this was the way things would go.

As Sharon and Jack finished their dance he leaned down to kiss her and murmured, "I love you."

"I love you too."

"What do you say we get out of here and enjoy our wedding night, huh?" She blushed furiously at his comment and then nodded her agreement before he whisked her to the waiting guests who had lined up to see them off.

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August 22, 1988

As Andy looked down at his brand-new baby Nicole, he smiled to himself and hugged her closer to his chest as he walked over to Sandra and placed the baby in her waiting arms. She thanked him by giving him a kiss on his lips and then moving over so he could join her in the bed.

"Andy, it seemed like we would never get here." Her pregnancy had been a stressful one and full of complications, but now that the baby was here and everything was healthy they could be happy again. They had gotten married almost a year ago and Nicole was a honeymoon baby, with the complications of the pregnancy and not wanting to bother Sandra with his worry he had been drinking quite a bit lately. Now as he looked at his wife and baby he knew that he would have to get a handle on that, especially now since he had just been made detective and asked to help out with the police academy new recruits in the fall. It was going to provide a bit of a cushion with their finances and allow Sandra to stay home with their new baby.

Andy smiled down at her and responded, "it did, but thankfully we are here and you are both healthy. I can't wait to get you and our little princess home."

"Yeah, it's a good thing we just finished her room, huh?" she replied with a laugh and then continued "when do you have to go back to work?"

"I've got two weeks off; Louie gave me some of his PTO so that I could have extra time with you two. Although at work he is starting to demand that I call him Provenza, he thinks his first name makes he seem soft."

"Oh, that Louie. I can only imagine how that came about. I'll have to get together with Liz and have her fill me in," Sandra said with a yawn.

"Why don't you get some sleep? I'll be here to hold you both up," Andy kissed her head as she snuggled into his side and then leaned his own head back against the bed and turned to look out the window. As he stared at the clouds his mind went back to the woman he still could not get out of his mind, even as he held his wife and daughter. He felt like ten times the heel, but no matter how hard he tried she was always there.

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 _ **Ok, so I managed to get this out quicker than I thought I would. I have an engagement party to attend this afternoon but then I am planning on working on another chapter when I get home tonight so stay tuned and thank you for reading!**_


	3. Shockwaves

The night before Sharon was to begin the police academy found her studiously making sure she had everything ready. She went over her course schedule one more time noting who would be teaching the classes, she had done her homework on her instructors to make sure she was prepared for anything they might throw at her.

She looked up as she heard the door open and grinned at the sight, Jack had just got home and he had brought her flowers.

"Hey Sharon," he said as he leaned down to give her a kiss. He was always being so nice lately and was doing well in the new semester of law school.

"Hi honey, dinner will be ready in a minute I made pot roast," she said as she took the flowers and walked into the kitchen to put them in water and finish dinner.

"Sounds good," he said somewhat distractedly, "Do we have any beer?"

"Uh, yeah there is some in the fridge. How was class today?" she asked as he opened a beer and took a swig.

"It was fine. Hey uh … the guys are going out tonight to celebrate Billy getting engaged last weekend."

"Oh ok, well I'll just save your dinner then. I'm going to bed early so I'm up early enough tomorrow for my first day."

"Ok, well I will try to be quiet when I get home," Jack replied as he had already started heading to the door.

Sharon turned around to tell him bye and then said just yelled at the closing door, "love you too." She finished dinner and then put it away after setting out her own bowl for the night. Once she was done she washed her dish and then went to her bedroom to get ready for bed. As she settled into her bed a little later alone in the quiet house her mind wandered to the man she hadn't thought of in almost three years, she wondered if he had ever made it to detective like he had planned to right after the academy.

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Andy groaned as his alarm clock went off and rolled over to turn it off before it could wake Sandra, she was up all night with the baby and had just gone to sleep. He had to go to the academy for the day introducing the new recruits to the world of homicide. When he had been promoted to detective he was transferred to the Robbery Homicide Division and as the newbie of the squad it was his responsibility to give a lecture to the cadets.

He was already dreading the day, he just wanted to go to work and do his job instead of just talking about his job. He got up out of bed and went into the adjoining bathroom to take a shower. When he got out he went into his closet and picked out his grey three-piece suit and his light purple shirt with the dark purple tie, it was his favorite.

Once Andy was done getting dressed he dropped a kiss to Sandra's head and then went across the hallway to the nursery and did the same with Nicole. He then went downstairs and out the door to get into his vehicle, he would stop for coffee on his way to the academy.

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October 1988

Sharon arrived early for her first day of the academy and walked in to find a seat, the first thing she noticed was what was written on the board a list of guest speakers from the LAPD with the name of the department they worked for: Robbery/Homicide – Detective Andrew Flynn, Vice – Sergeant Larry Gaines, Professional Standards – Sergeant Bobby Ware. Sharon was intrigued by each of the departments that were speaking today, she just wanted to learn everything she could from an officer's perspective so that it could help her down the road once she became a lawyer.

As other new recruits started trickling into the room she settled herself in with a notepad and pen to take notes. Finally, as everyone was gathered into the room the instructor stood up to introduce himself:

"Good morning new recruits, my name is Sergeant Michael Waters and I have been with the LAPD for 15 years now. I started teaching here at the academy three years ago and I am looking forward to getting to know each and every one of you as you make your way through our rigorous course schedule." As he said this his eyes landed on Sharon, she was one of only two females in the class and she assumed that Sgt. Waters was expecting her to flunk out. Sharon just sat up straighter with rapt attention and gave him a little smirk as he continued, "I would like to introduce our first guest speaker Detective Andrew Flynn, he was just promoted recently but has already proven himself to be an asset to Robbery/Homicide. Forgive him if he starts yawning he and his wife have a new baby at home."

Sgt. Waters last statement was met by a small chorus of laughter as Sharon noticed a man in a grey suit stand up and walk to the front of the room. As Det. Flynn turned around she gasped it was Andy, her Andy the one she could not get out of her head for the last almost three years. Sharon suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe and her heart started racing, she picked up her bottle of water and took a couple of small sips to help calm herself down. She barely heard a word of what Andy said as he spoke to the class although she did notice that he kept looking at her, she ignored him and stared at her notepad.

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Andy had looked up as he heard a gasp from somewhere in the room and then froze for a second before he kept talking to the recruits about his new duties in Robbery/Homicide. It was his Sharon, the women that had been at the back of his mind for three years. He couldn't figure out why she was here because she had told him she wanted to be a lawyer. As he continued speaking he kept glancing up at her to see if she had recognized him, by the way that she kept her head down and ignore him he figured that she didn't remember him.

At one point, something shiny flashed by his eyes and he looked up to realize it was the glint of the diamond on her hand as it moved a certain way through the light, his stomach plummeted when he saw that because it meant that she was taken. He felt guilty all of sudden, he was married with a brand-new baby at home what did it matter that a girl he had spent one night dancing with was married, he was unavailable himself. When Andy finished speaking and the class started applauding he realized he had no idea how he had kept talking about his job when he had done nothing but think about Sharon the entire time he was talking.

After the other two guest speakers, had finished talking and the class was over, Andy turned around to see if he could spot Sharon so he could talk to her and spotted her just as she practically ran out the door. He went to follow her but as soon as he took a step to the door he was bombarded by some of the recruits asking him questions, he sighed and then turned to answer them. Now that Andy knew she was in the academy he at least knew he would see her again this time and resolved himself to make sure that he did. He had a plan, he was going to offer his services to the academy instructors so he could see her again to at least talk to her and catch up with everything that had happened the last couple of years since their last acquaintance.

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Sharon didn't know how she had managed to sit through the rest of her class after she had seen him, she heard Sgt. Waters mention that he was married with a new baby and thought good for him. She now knew he had made detective just like he had planned and she felt a little ashamed because she was not where she had planned to be, she was doing something that wasn't in her plan the night she had last talked to Andy. Sharon went into the ladies' room and splashed water on her face to calm down some more and then her face went into a mask; she would never let anyone see her feelings while she was in a boy's crowd job. She did not want to be perceived as a weak female with feelings, she wanted the others to see her as an equal.

As Sharon walked out of the bathroom and to her car she thought about her husband Jack and how sweet he was being lately, she figured today was the perfect day to go home and make his favorite dinner and then maybe really enjoy her night. She smiled a little to herself and then steered her car to the grocery store to get the ingredients she would need to make Jack happy.

Sharon made quick work of her grocery trip and was back in her car heading home in no time. When she pulled into the driveway she was happy to see Jack's car already in the driveway.

She yelled for him as she walked in the door carrying the groceries: "Jack, hon are you here?"

He came out of the small bedroom that they had turned into an office with a beer in his hand and smiled at her as he spoke: "Hey Sharon, how was your first day?" he replied as he took some of the bags from her and walked towards the kitchen setting them down on the counter.

"It was good, today was mainly just a day of guest speakers from members of different departments within the LAPD," she answered as she followed him and set the rest of the bags down and turned to greet him with a kiss and wrapped her arms around him.

Jack accepted her into his arms and pulled her close to his chest as he laid his cheek on her head. After a few moments, he let her go and then started helping her put the groceries away and start dinner. Sharon readily accepted his help and finished dinner in record time. After the two of them ate their dinner they cleaned up the kitchen together and then Sharon grabbed Jacks hand and started leading him to their bedroom with a saucy grin on her face.

Jack smiled at her and as they reached their bedroom door he closed it firmly and then pressed her against the back of it as he kissed her hungrily and then led her to the bed. Sharon forgot all about Andy in that moment and allowed Jack to take her to bed.

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Andy was still feeling a little dazed after the day's events as he pulled into his driveway but as he looked up and saw Sandra rocking Nicole in her arms through the living room window he quickly snapped out of it. He grabbed his briefcase and got out of his car and walked up the front walk with a smile on his face thinking about how lucky he was to have his family.

As Andy walked in the door he spoke up: "Honey, I'm home"

Sandra turned to look at him with a smile on his face and then looked down at the baby as she spoke: "Look baby daddy is home and we need to tell him all about how you smiled and laughed for the first time today."

Andy looked down at the baby as he took her from her mother and started talking to her, "oh you did, you are already getting too big. You have to stay little forever so daddy doesn't have to clean his gun when you bring boys homes," he said with a smile as he heard a laugh and looked up at Sandra.

"Honey, I think it is too early to be giving her the talk about boys."

"Eh, she's never too young to hear her daddy talk about protecting her," he replied as sat down in his recliner to get comfortable with his baby girl in his arms.

"Don't get too comfortable Andy, dinner will be done in about 15 mins," Sandra said as she walked towards the kitchen.

"Oh, and what are we having?"

"Why, your favorite pot roast with extra vegetables of course. I knew you weren't particularly fond of talking to the new recruits today so I thought I would treat you tonight."

"You really are great you know that? And now they have me helping at the academy with the recruits on a regular basis so I hope you will want to make my favorite all the time," he said as he gave her a wink.

She looked back at him with a contemplative look and then smiled as she stuck her head out of the kitchen and said, "Only as long as remember to keep me happy. I got the green light from my doctor today."

And got up as he thought about what she could mean and then walked into the kitchen, "Does that mean what I think it does?" She only nodded back at him. His face broke out into a wide boyish grin as he looked down at the baby in his arms, "that means you my little princess are sleeping the whole night in your room tonight." Sandra laughed as she made their bowls and set them on the table.

Later that night after Sandra had fallen asleep in his arms and he had her cradled against his chest he thought about Sharon. He just wanted to talk to her and hoped to get the chance soon.

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It seemed Sharon was determined to not be left alone with Andy or even be in anywhere near him. Andy didn't get the chance to talk to Sharon until two months after classes began. The class of recruits decided to go and celebrate the fact that they had all passed their weapons' qualification and Sharon to everyone's great surprise had been the only one to achieve a perfect score, it seemed they guys were now readily accepting her as one of them. The only other female in their class had dropped out barely two weeks into it so she had been out casted as the only female until today, she had impressed them and Andy knew they would all willingly accept and protect as one of their own from now on.

The whole group was now down at O'Malley's Pub celebrating and Andy could see them across the room from where he sat with Provenza and the gang from Robbery/Homicide, they were celebrating the end of a case. Andy spotted Sharon get up from the group and walk towards the back of the bar alone, he excused himself from the group and followed her all the way out the back door and into the alley. When Sharon heard the door open behind her she turned around prepared to fend off whoever had followed her, when she saw it was Andy she instantly stood taller and prepared for the confrontation she had been dodging for weeks.

"You feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the attention?", he asked as he noticed her defensive stance.

"Ah yeah, just a little bit," she replied eyeing him warily. She couldn't take it anymore she knew he had been trying to talk to her for weeks so she added, "What do you what Andy?"

"So you do remember meeting me then," not waiting for her to reply he continued, "I thought you didn't you seemed to be ignoring me. Look Sharon I don't want any trouble and for what it is worth I won't tell anyone about that night. We are both married now so it doesn't matter anyway. I just wanted you to ask you if we could at least be friends instead of you ignoring me?"

Her defensive gave way and she stood there with a contemplative look before smiling and replying, "Yeah I guess that would be ok."

He smiled at her then, "good because you are already proving to be one heck of recruit and will be a good person to have watching my six."

She laughed a little and said, "Well you don't seem too bad yourself. How's the baby?"

He looked surprised for a minute before he remembered that Sgt. Waters had mentioned Nicole on the first day of classes. Andy smiled and pulled out his wallet and showed Sharon a recent picture of the baby that had been taken last week. "She is great, I still can't believe I'm a father."

Sharon grinned and looked at the baby, she was beautiful with her father's blue eyes and toothless grin. "She is one beautiful baby; I hope to have one of my own one day. First I need to get through the academy and then law school."

"So you are still doing law school then? I was wondering about that since the first day I saw you at the academy."

"Yeah, uh Jack and I decided that it wouldn't be sensible for both of us to be in law school at the same time with the tuition and all. So, he is there now, since he was a year ahead of me in school and then once he gets established at a law firm it will be my turn to go."

Andy's eyes lit with recognition as he nodded and listened to her, "I see, sounds smart. So Jack came to his senses then? Last I heard he wanted to break up?"

Sharon gave a quizzical look and remembered that she had told Andy about Jack the last time they had talked, "Yeah he did, he came back begging for forgiveness a couple of months after we met. What about you? I haven't heard anything about your wife?"

"Sandra. She did the same as Jack, just showed up at my door one day asking for forgiveness and here we are."

"So we have both come full circle then," she asked and as he nodded she continued speaking, "so we will be friends?"

Andy held out his hand to shake hers smiled and said, "Yeah friends, and I'll even help you with the academy. Although it doesn't seem like you need much help at the moment."

She smirked as she took his hand and said, "Nope, but if you feel like challenging me that would be great. Don't need anyone going easy on me because I am the only female left."

He laughed as he turned to open the door back into the bar and held it open for her, "Sharon, this is already shaping up to be an interesting friendship." She joined in his laughter as they walked back into the bar and back to their respective tables.

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 ** _So this chapter went in a different direction than what was originally intended but I got it on track to where I was heading by the end. Now that they are friends let's see what is going to happen next. As always thanks again for reading and please review!_**


	4. Friendships to last a lifetime

**_I have always enjoyed the relationship between Sharon and Gavin, they seemed like they would have a great friendship. And I have always thought that Andrea would make a good addition as a friend to the both of them. With that being said, I thought it was time to finally bring those two back into the story. So enjoy!_**

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For the next several months while Sharon was in the academy, Andy did his best to help her when he could although it was true what he had said to her in the alley behind O'Malley's she was proving to be one heck of a recruit. The academy graduation was in less than a month and Sharon was looking forward to finally being done. She could tell she was really going to love being a police officer and the constant challenge it provided.

While in the midst of her classes Andy was constantly adding challenges in her path to improve her abilities and made note to his supervisors about her exceptional progress. Sharon didn't know it yet but the Captain of Robbery/Homicide was looking into getting her transferred to his division very soon after graduation, she would just have to take the detectives exam first.

Sharon was currently waiting at O'Malley's for Andrea and Gavin they were having a night out after a tough week for all three of them. Sharon had just completed a difficult course and Andrea Gavin had just had a really hard exam today, they all needed to let loose a little bit and as usual the two of them were running late.

She looked up when she heard the door open but instead of her friends walking in, it was Andy and Provenza. When Andy noticed she was by herself he walked up to her.

"Hey, do you want some company?"

She smiled and replied, "I'm actually waiting on my friends, they are just running a little late."

"Oh ok, well I'll just sit here for a minute until they arrive," he replied with a cocky grin.

Sharon chuckled and responded, "Gee thanks for being my big strong protector, however would I survive without you?"

"You will never need to find out," he responded and turned as someone was tapping him on the shoulder. Andrea and Gavin had finally arrived and were surprised to see someone already sitting with Sharon, she had not told Andrea that she had finally found her Andy and that he was the same person who had been helping her at the academy.

Sharon just grinned at Andy and turned to greet her friends and introduce them to Andy, "Gavin, Andrea this is Detective Andrew Flynn, he works for Robbery/Homicide with the LAPD and has been assisting teaching at the academy. Andy this is Gavin Baker and Andrea Hobbs they are both in law school and have been my friends since freshman year of college."

Andreas' eyes lit up with recognition and she went to say something until she saw Sharon behind Andy shaking her head no, so instead of saying what she wanted to she just said, "Hi Andy its very nice to meet you, Sharon has been telling us someone was assisting her in the academy we just didn't realize that you were already working for the LAPD."

Gavin had seen the look and head shake between Sharon and Andrea and he vowed to get to the bottom of it, for now he held out his hand to Andy and replied, "Yes Andy it is very nice to meet you."

Andy shook both of their hands before getting up from the table and answering, "Very nice to meet you both, I'm gonna go join my buddies now that I see I'm leaving Sharon in very capable hands."

As Andy walked away both Gavin slid into the booth opposite Sharon while Andrea made Sharon scoot over and slid in next to her, effectively trapping her in her seat. It was then that they both turned to her with gleeful looks on their faces. Gavin was the first one to speak up as Sharon stared them down hoping that Andrea wouldn't bring it up.

"So what is with the look that you two shared behind detective yummies' head?"

Andrea laughed as she rolled her eyes and answered Gavin, ignoring Sharon's glare as she answered: "I'm assuming that is Andy from the bonfire party over three years ago?" without waiting for Sharon to respond she turned to Gavin and explained what had happened that night. When Andrea was done explaining Gavin looked scandalized "How is it that in all this time, neither of you bothered to fill me in?"

"Sharon didn't want-"before Andrea could finish Sharon cut her off: "It doesn't matter it was a long time ago and now we are both married, so both of you just drop it. We are friends who work together and nothing more." Sharon said the last part with such finality that they both took the hint and changed the topic to her graduation next month and of course shopping.

"So we need to go shopping, I need something to wear," Gavin whined at the two ladies. Andrea just rolled her eyes before opening her mouth, "you will use anything as an excuse to go shopping and in case you forgot you are not the one graduating."

"As if that matters, besides I'm down to go shopping this weekend Jack will be at his buddies house studying for their classes big exam," Sharon said as she joined in the conversation, she missed the look the two of them shared at her mention of Jack as she was taking a sip of her drink. They still didn't like Jack and had heard stories from his class about these "study weekends", there wasn't a lot of studying involved just a bunch of drinking and gambling. They had tried to tell Sharon about it but she believed Jack when he said they only broke out the beer and cards after they had studied for a long while. One day they would prove to her just how much of a scumbag her husband really was, until then they would do their best to continue to support her.

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Late January 1989

Andy smiled as Nicole started laughing at the funny faces he was making; he was sitting at a patio table with her in his lap and his wife next to him. They were at a BBQ for the recently sworn in officers of the LAPD. He looked up as something caught the corner of his eye, it was Sharon and who he assumed must be her husband Jack. They were walking in the gate to where everyone was at near the pool, the party was at Sgt. Waters house and he had invited anyone who had helped this group of recruits to graduate. Sharon was in a purple sundress that fell to just above her knees and had her hair pulled back with a smile on her face as she walked around introducing her husband.

As Sharon got closer to him and Sandra he stood up to hold his hand out to Jack, "Andy Flynn, this is my wife Sandra and our daughter Nicole. Sandra this is Sharon Raydor and who I assume must be her husband Jack."

Jack took his hand and replied: "You would be right my boy, and I would like to thank you for looking out for my wife throughout the academy." Jack pulled Sharon closer to his side as she smiled and looked up at him.

Sandra spoke up then and said with a smile, "Yeah that's my Andy he is such a good guy."

Andy just grinned and was surprised when Nicole reached out for Sharon, if she noticed his surprise she didn't say anything but instead gladly took the baby from him and started talking to her.

Sandra looked at her, "she seems to really like you already, I don't think I've seen her take to anyone that fast."

Sharon replied without thinking "my mother always says that babies can sense when a woman is pregnant and that seems to make them more accepting of them." Sharon kept staring at the baby and didn't seem to realize what she said until Jack spoke up "uh hon, I thought we weren't gonna tell anyone yet?" Andy looked somewhat shocked.

Sandra didn't seem to notice anything was wrong and said as she smiled, "well I am sure you guys will be great parents, Sharon already seems to be a natural."

"huh, what?" she said as she looked up and realized she had let her secret out and said with a sheepish smile "oops, well I guess that cat is out of the bag now."

"Congratulations," Andy said as he schooled his features "well that explains why Robbery/Homicide is getting you earlier than expected."

"Oh yes, they want me to at least start on patrol until I go on desk duty and then I will take my detectives exam and join you all right before I go on maternity leave. I'm due in 7 months."

"That's great, then we can get the kids together for playdates!" Sandra said with a smile, "since Nicole is almost 6 months, I'm sure she would love it."

"I agree Sandra, what do you say you and I go have some girl talk now and leave the men to do whatever it is they do when we are not around," Sharon said with a grin as she hooked her thumb in the direction of two lounge chairs near the pool.

Andy and Jack looked at each other then, before Jack spoke, "Did they just ditch us?"

"Yeah it looks that way, come on let me introduce you to all the guys." Andy replied and then walked off with Jack.

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In the intervening months after the BBQ, Sandra and Sharon became quite close and the same could be said about Jack and Andy. It was quite commonplace for one couple or the other to end up at each other's house on the weekends for at least dinner and occasionally the guys would watch the Dodgers game, which Sharon would join in on.

Sandra gave Sharon tips about pregnancy and even lent her some of her maternity clothes. The two women would also share recipes and whenever one of them was unable to cook dinner they would often make enough for the others household. It wasn't uncommon for Sharon and Jack to babysit Nicole occasionally either, it just made them more excited for Emily's arrival. They had found out a couple of months ago that the baby was a girl and had decide on Emily, now Nicole really would have a playmate. Sharon was due any day now and could not wait for her baby to get here.

Jack and Andy would oftentimes meet up with their buddies at O'Malley's and enjoy a few rounds, the only thing Andy didn't know about was Jacks gambling otherwise he would put a stop to it. Andy was actually Sharon's partner now that she was officially in Robbery/Homicide, his Captain decided it would be a good idea since they worked so well together.

Andy had just gotten home from having a few with Jack when the house phone rang, it was Sharon she was in labor and Jack was still not home.

"What do you mean he is not with you?" she asked in a watery voice and he could tell she was in pain.

"I left him at the pub half an hour ago," Andy answered as Sandra walked in the room. He held the phone away from his mouth as he told Sandra that Sharon was in labor. Sandra motioned for him to give her the phone and then told him to go get Sharon and take her to the hospital.

"Sharon, it's Sandra I'm sending Andy to come take you to the hospital and I will come up later after I find a sitter for Nicole. Don't worry we will find Jack."

"No, he doesn't have to do that I'm sure Jack will be here any minute. I don't want to bother your night," she said and then stopped as she had to breathe through another contraction.

"Sharon I've had a baby and believe me when I tell you, you do NOT want to have Emily at home so Andy will come get you and when Jack turns up he can take over."

Sharon finally agreed as she was hit with another contraction, "ok, I will be ready when he gets here."

"Good, I will see you shortly as well. Remember to breathe Sharon and you will see your baby girl before you know it." Sandra told her as she hung up the phone and then smirked as she dialed Provenza's home number, as much as he grumbled he loved being 'Uncle Louie' and would not mind watching Nicole for a little while.

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September 18, 1989

As it turns out no one was able to locate Jack anywhere so instead of him being with Sharon when Emily was born, it was her partner and his wife holding her hands as she gave birth. Both Sandra and Andy were by her side and very helpful, and when Emily was finally born it was her partner who cut the cord since Sharon was crying so much with happiness that she was unable to herself.

It was several hours later that Jack finally turned up at the hospital, with flowers and teddy bear. When he walked into the room Andy and Sandra were still there but were joined by Louie Liz who had brought Nicole, as well as Andrea and Gavin who were both currently already talking to Emily about shopping as everyone in the room laughed at their crazy antics.

Jack coughed and looked at Sharon with an ashamed look on his face and when she looked up the smile that was on her face fell and the room went silent as Jack spoke, "uh hey hon, I'm sorry I missed it I was out with the guys…" he said as his voice dropped off. Everyone in the room glared at Jack as he spoke, but none of them let Sharon see it.

"Hmmmmm, yes I know Andy told me. Except he was home when I called Sandra and was able to get me here. Tell me Jack where were you? Andy said you left to go home the same time he did?" Sharon said frostily. Everyone in the room knew better than to stick around at the moment and made excuses to leave but still making sure she could call any of them if she needed to.

Jack waited until they all gave Sharon a hug and kissed the baby and left before he spoke again, "Listen Sharon I really am sorry-"

She cut him off, "don't start Jack I don't want to hear it. Do you want to meet your daughter?" she said the last part as she held Emily out to him.

"Uh yeah," he set the flowers on the table close to the bed and then sat on the bed as she scooted over to make room. "Hi little angel, I'm your daddy," he said as he took her from Sharon.

She could smell the bourbon on him but she pushed the thought to the back of her mind as she watched her daughter meet her father for the first time. He would make it up to her, he always did.

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While Sharon was on maternity leave, Andy rotated with all the others as partners until she was to come back. At this point she had been gone for 8 out of her allotted 12 weeks. He had gotten the call for this murder at 3am right after he had just gotten Nicole back to sleep. She usually slept through the night these days but tonight she was woken up by the thunder, so Andy had rocked her and snuggled with her until she went back to sleep.

When he got to the crime scene he saw everyone looking grim, which wasn't unusual for their crimes scenes but tonight it was more noticeable. It was modest five-bedroom house in Echo Park, not too far from where Sharon lived. As he walked through the back gate to the back yard where the body was, Provenza walked up to him.

"Andy I think that you should sit this one out," he said with a grim look.

"Why, what is so special about this victim," he responded while trying to get a look at the woman's face but couldn't because his Captain quickly covered her face with the sheet.

"Andy, the victim bears an incredibly strong resemblance to Sharon. The two of them could be sisters." Provenza told him while still trying to get him to leave.

"Louie, I'm not leaving so you might as well let me join the case," Andy huffed as Provenza once again stood in his way as he tried to walk around him.

"Alright, Alright but don't say I didn't warn you," Provenza grumbled as he moved to the side.

Andy walked up to the victim and moved the sheet, it was then that he gasped as he realized they hadn't been joking and explained the somber than usual crime scene. "Well damn," he mumbled to himself as he stood up and went to work.

It turned out the husband killed her, her name was Susan Rayborn and she was 38 with two kids. Her husband Jason was lawyer who was recently disbarred and unhappy in his life so he took it out on his wife and ran off with the kids. They caught up to him just before he got on a bus to Mexico, he was going to spend the rest of his life in prison and the kids were going to Susan's parents.

The similarities between their victim and Sharon hit everyone hard but it had hit Andy especially hard, so much so that he went to the bar drinking every night and tuned out the rest of the world. Andy was starting down a bad road; he knew it but he couldn't bring himself to stop because every time he closed his eyes it was Sharon he was seeing and not Susan.

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It had been three months since Emily was born and in that time Jack had done everything to make up for missing the baby's birth. He cooked, he cleaned, and he helped Sharon get the baby in the middle of the night. Now Sharon was returning to work and was dreading leaving Emily the next day, she wanted to stay home with her baby girl. She was comforted by the fact that Sandra would be the one watching her and not some stranger, that helped to ease Sharon's mind.

As Sharon walked into the Robbery/Homicide squad room on her first day back she was met with a round of applause and flowers on her desk. They were all happy to see her especially with the case from last month hanging over their heads, no one had told Sharon about that case and it was intended for her to never find out. Sharon had made a name for herself as she worked her way through the academy and in the little time she was a party of RHD before her maternity leave she had become a well-respected member of the squad and they all cared about her and were all extremely happy to have her back. She stopped when she got to her desk to see a recent picture of Emily and one of Emily Nicole, she knew Andy had done that to help ease her transition back.

"I had Sandra get them printed last week and get the frames, we figured it would be a nice surprise," he said as he walked up behind her, everyone else had gone back to work.

"I love it, thank you Andy," she said as she looked at him with a teary smile.

"Eh it was no big deal, so let's get back to work. We've already caught a murder out in Silver Lake," he told her as he grabbed his gun, badge, and keys and motioned for her to follow.

Sharon looked at him speculatively, if they had really caught the murder then she would have been called earlier. She knew he had gotten one of the others to give in to the pair of them so she would keep busy on her first day back and not think about her baby girl so much and how much she was missing her. "Alright, let's go."

He was so happy she was back and hoped the dreams he had of her dead on the living room floor of her house would go away now that he would be able to see her every day.

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 ** _Hope you enjoyed the newest chapter. Thanks for reading and please review!_**


	5. The Beginning of the End

March 1990

As Sharon and Sandra sat on the back porch of the Raydor home drinking a glass of wine they watched the girls play in the sandbox, although Emily was only 6 months old so she was mainly just messing up anything that the now 19 month Nicole managed to build. The guys had gone out for the night to celebrate Jack's graduation from law school, which was 3 days ago. Andy and Jack had had a rocky relationship ever since Emily's birth but he figured if he went he would be able to wrangle Jack in earlier than if Jack went by himself.

Sharon and Sandra sat on the back porch in two of the lounge chairs where the sandbox was easily visible. It wasn't a very big yard but it had enough space for a garden and garden shed in the back-corner Emily's sandbox near the back steps and soon they were going to get a swing set to go in the opposite corner of the garden. There was also a privacy fence up around the perimeter to keep prying eyes from the back of the house, Sharon heard too many horror stories at work to take any chances about the area where her little girl would play as she grew up.

At the moment Sharon was staring off into space and seemed a little lost, Sandra had had enough of the sighs she kept hearing coming from her friend so she turned to her "Ok Sharon spill it."

"Spill what?" Sharon asked as she took her gaze off the girls to look at her friend.

"Whatever has you so torn up that you've barely said two words that wasn't about the girls," Sandra replied a with a look that told Sharon she was not going to take no for an answer.

"I uh … I just have a feeling that I'm never going to get the chance to go to law school myself," she replied with a downcast look as she turned her head back to where she could see the girls.

"What makes you say that? Jack just graduated and landed that job with the State's Attorney's Office, I think you will be in law school in no time."

"Yeah it looks like it is going to turn out ok, but I just have this sinking feeling in my gut that something is going to prevent it from happening," she replied as she finally looked up at Sandra and continued, "I know I'm being dramatic and I probably sound crazy to you, but I just can't help feeling like this."

"You do not sound crazy. In the end it will all turn out how it is supposed to, but for now you can just concentrate on that beautiful little girl of yours and keeping my husband in line at work," Sandra said with a grin.

Sharon laughed and when she finally rained it in she smirked and said, "Yeah I'm sure it will all work out, Jack promised me it would and yeah because keeping your husband in line is a second full time job by itself." Sandra and Sharon both started laughing and then stopped when they heard Sharon's front door open, it was too early for the guys to be back and Sharon's first thought was an intruder. Sandra took another sip of her wine to hide the small smile on her face as she saw that Sharon was about to get up to go check it out. Sharon stopped and sat back down when she heard Gavin's voice calling: "Sharon where on earth have you gotten to?"

Sharon instantly relaxed when she heard his voice, "Gavin we are out back," she called into the open sliding glass door and was surprised to see Andrea following Gavin out onto the back porch. As they came out she noticed Andrea carrying a bottle of wine and asked "Hey guys, what are you doing here?"

Andrea was the one to answer as she and Gavin made themselves comfortable in the two remaining lounge chairs, "Well we heard the men were going out and figured the girls needed a night in." Gavin gave a cough next to Andrea and she rolled her eyes and added, "with Gavin of course." At that the four adults started laughing.

"Well the more the merrier, Andy and I had a tough case at work this week so a night in is exactly what I need. I was just figuring it just being me and Emily until Sandra showed up." Sandra looked at Sharon then and spoke up, "Andy might have mentioned that which is why Nicole and I came over and then I called Andrea Gavin."

"That husband of yours is too sweet for his own good sometimes, if the guys at the station knew he did stuff like this he would never live it down," Sharon replied with an evil little glint in her eye and a smile. She really did appreciate everything Andy did for her; he was always watching her back at work and as it turns out at home as well.

"No he would not," Sandra said as they all laughed again. "So we need a new topic other than our husbands and work."

"Oh I need to tell you three about my date from last," Gavin said enthusiastically with a grin. /

"Oh, boy here we go," Andrea stated with an eye roll as she looked at Sharon and Sandra and saw them doing the same thing.

"This is different than the last couple I told you guys about, so listen up. I was at Ramone's last week when this really hot guy walked up…"

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As Andy pulled into Sharon's driveway he saw Gavin's car still there and smiled, he was glad his wife had listened to him. He knew that Sharon needed a night with her friends, he told Sandra it was because of the case they had just had which was partly true but it was also because he was starting to suspect that something was going on in Sharon's home life that she didn't want to share. She always seemed to be slightly depressed lately and he knew that Jack was spending many nights out late. Andy had a feeling Jack was up to something, he just didn't know what and was trying to get to the bottom of it.

Andy looked over at Jack as he heard him grumble. "What's up Jack?"

"Gavin's here, he doesn't like me much. I don't know why he is here."

"To see your wife maybe, come on let's get inside so I can get my wife and daughter and go home." Andy couldn't take anymore of Jack's complaining, he had listened to it all night. The man complained constantly about his life and Sharon in particular, in Andy's eyes Jack was an ass because his wife was great and did a lot for the man. Andy didn't think really knew just how lucky he was to have Sharon.

After another minute Jack finally got out of the car and went to unlock the front door. As Andy walked in behind Jack he saw Sandra in the living room and went to wake her up and then turned and went down the hall to Emily's room to get Nicole. He waved to Jack who was standing in the kitchen as he walked back out the front door.

Jack waited until he seen Andy's car drive off before he grabbed his own car keys and left. He was going to Billy's house; they were having a poker tournament and he planned to win some money.

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The September sun was hot and shining high as the party guests gathered at Andy Sandra's house for Emily's first birthday. They had an in-ground pool off to the left and back when Andy Jack were on better terms they had built the BBQ pit on the other side of the yard and then the women had put their touch on the backyard with the patio furniture that was currently being used by the guests. Sandra had insisted that they host the party since their house was a little bigger and they had a pool the guests could cool off in since it was so hot. Sharon and Sandra both weaved in and out of the crowd talking to guests and making sure everything was set up properly, they'd been planning this party for weeks.

Everyone from RHD was there with their spouses, including Provenza & Liz. Most of the team had small kids so there were kids running around everywhere chasing each other. There was a couple of kids and parents there from the park that Sandra took the girls to almost every day, and not surprisingly no one from Jack's work was there. Sharon had yet to meet any of them but from what she heard from Jack, he got along with everyone and was settling into the job well. He had been there for six months now; Sharon was just waiting a little longer until she broached the subject of her going to law school. Jack promised when they had Emily that they would make it work once she went back.

Also, unsurprisingly was the fact that Jack was late, Sharon just rolled her eyes when he finally got there and continued to mingle with her guests. When Jack came up behind Sharon and wrapped his arms around her, she could smell the bourbon on his breath. Sharon simply pushed his arms down and then told everyone it was time to eat.

After everyone had eaten, Sharon had allowed Jack to help Emily blow out her birthday candle and open her presents and was at the moment saying goodbye to everyone as they all left. Emily and Nicole were playing with all the new toys as their fathers joined in, both wearing princess crowns and all.

Once everyone was gone Sharon made herself comfortable in one of the patio chairs where she could still see the girls with their dads. She decided she was just going to let Jacks behavior go, to be honest she was just happy he came and hadn't missed it like he had her birth the year before. Sandra came up and sat on the chair next to her and started speaking, "I hope the next one is a boy for Andy's sake."

Sharon turned and looked at her before asking, "next one? Is there something you need to tell me?"

"I'm pregnant, it is still early. I'm not due for 7 months but I wanted to tell you." Sandra replied with a wistful look on her face and smile and then dropped as she looked out at her husband.

"Sandra that is great, I can't wait to spoil another Flynn," she said with a laugh and gave her friend a hug.

"Yeah, I can't wait" she replied while still looking at her husband.

"If it is so great, then why do you seem so sad all of a sudden?" Sharon asked.

"Well, I don't know if Andy has told you any of this but he has been having a little trouble with alcohol since you were on maternity leave. I don't know the specifics but about a month before you went back he had a really bad case that hit him really hard and he went to the bar every night after work instead of coming home. I thought it had gotten better when you returned but I was wrong, he just got better at hiding it."

Sharon looked dumbfounded as Sandra finished explaining, "I had no idea, how did I not see it?"

"Maybe because you had your own husband's alcohol problems to deal with?" at Sandra's words Sharon paled significantly and before she could say anything Sandra continued she had been waiting to confront her friend for a long time, "I know you have been hiding it and that you didn't want anyone to know but it is hard not to. He showed up here today drunk and my goodness Sharon he missed Emily's birth last year. And Andy told me he dropped Jack off after celebrating his graduation but you said he wasn't home the next morning. You have to face it Sharon, Jack has a problem."

Sharon just stared at her friend for a minute and then got up out of her chair but before she could get too far Sandra had grabbed her arm, "come on Sharon, don't be like that. You know I am only telling you the truth."

Sharon stopped and Sandra could tell her anger was slowly ebbing away as Sharon sank back into her chair and put her head in her hands. Sandra saw her shoulders shaking and knew that Sharon was crying, so she gave her minute and just rubber her back.

After a couple of minutes, Sharon looked up "how did I let it get this far? I know better than to be one of those wives and yet it still happened."

"I don't know Sharon but it's what happened. Look I found a treatment facility about an hour away that Andy has agreed to go to, he leaves in a week. They have an opening for Jack as well, I checked, but the catch is that it is voluntary."

Sharon nodded as she realized that explained the 'sabbatical' Andy was taking, he hadn't wanted to talk about it when she had brought it up as soon as she found out about it. "I don't know how to thank you enough Sandra, I will talk to Jack and make sure he goes."

"The only thanks I need is now my friend will be ok," she smirked and then added with a grin, "and of course free babysitting."

"Of course," Sharon replied with a small smile and then, "but seriously how can I repay you for this?"

"Don't worry about it I am sure you would have done the same for me had you realized what was going on." Sharon gave a small smile at that and then the two women spent the next hour trying to figure out how to convince Jack to go, Sharon had a concrete plan by the time she headed home.

As Sharon got Emily out of her car when she got home she saw Jack pull in behind her car, she nodded at him and then went in the house and straight to Emily's room to put her in bed. When she came out into the living room she saw Jack in the kitchen opening a beer and sighed.

"Jack, we need to talk."

He looked at her and could see she was serious so he walked towards her and sat in the chair across from where she sat on the couch. "Ok, I'm listening."

"I think that you should go to rehab." She knew that beating around the bush would get her nowhere.

"Rehab? For what because I like to enjoy a cold one with my friends on occasion?"

"No, because I've had people coming up to me to tell me all about your drinking binges constantly for the last year. If you didn't want me to know, you shouldn't have added members of my team to your drinking buddies," she said that last part with as little emotion as she could muster. She was seconds away from falling apart and didn't want to cry where he could see.

"No, I know exactly where this is coming from. Andrea and Gavin have never like me from the very beginning and they –"

"They have been nothing but supportive of me since the day I married you, even though I could tell they didn't like you. They have nothing to do with this. It was my squad members and not to mention I go to O'Malley's occasionally and the bartender won't let me have drinks until I pay your overdue tab!" she almost yelled the last part but remembered to keep her voice in check so as not to awaken Emily.

Jack could tell when he had her so he said nothing for a moment and just let Sharon continue, "If you don't go next week, I will be leaving and taking Emily to my parents. They would be more than happy to have us."

Jack sputtered for a second and then stopped and Sharon could tell he was thinking before he finally replied, "Ok, I will go as long as you will be here when I get back."

"As long as you go, I will be here."

"Fine," Jack said. Sharon stood up then and went to the hall closet and reached in for a blanket, she then went to her room to grab a pillow and returned handing them to Jack. The intention behind it was clear, he was sleeping on the couch tonight. He watched Sharon lock up and then go into the bedroom for the night and shut the door. Jack smile smugly to himself, he would 'go' to rehab but he wasn't going to stay and she couldn't make him. Jack had gotten almost everything he wanted from her, she had paid to put him through law school and had even put his name on her bank account because it was just easier than having to give him money all the time. Jack would make good use of that money while he was in 'rehab'.

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About a month after Jack and Andy went to the rehab, Sharon got a call. It was the facility asking if she was aware that her husband had checked himself out last weekend and had not returned. Of course, she didn't know and she realized she should have expected this, he had agreed to go way too easily. Sharon hung up the phone as she made it to the register to check out at the grocery store, she had just gotten there when the facility had called her. She waited until the clerk finished ringing up her items and then went to swipe her card.

"I'm sorry ma'am, your card has been declined," the too perky young blonde cashier said.

"Oh I'm sorry, I forgot I haven't activated that one yet," the excuse fell easily from Sharon's lips as she got some cash out of her wallet to pay for her groceries and then left the store. As she got into her car she dialed her bank to see what was wrong with her card.

"Ma'am it looks like your account has been frozen."

Confused, Sharon asked "Ok, um can you tell me why?"

"There was some suspicious charges in Los Vegas." Well that solved where Jack was she thought as she spoke with the young woman and was able to get her account unfrozen with the agreement to not allow anymore charges outside of LA until she specified otherwise. Jack would come home when he ran out of money and hopefully he would be sober.

After Sharon got off the phone she drove home to unload her groceries before changing out of her clothes quickly and then driving over to the Flynn's for dinner and to pick up Emily. While the guys were gone, the women were taking turns cooking dinner, when Sharon didn't have a case that is. In the meantime, much like Andy did when she was on maternity leave, Sharon was spending the time he was gone floating between partners in the squad.

"Mama!" Emily squealed as Sharon walked in the front door to find the girls in the living room.

"Hi sweet pea, did you have a good day?" she asked as she headed towards the kitchen where Sandra was, "Hi Sandra."

"Hey Sharon, dinner will be done soon. I see the girl's barely let you in the door before tackling," she asked with a laugh as she looked down to find Nicole holding onto Sharon's leg.

Later after they had finished dinner and the girls were playing in the living room again Sharon and Sandra sat on the couch to talk. Sandra had sensed that Sharon had something on her mind all night.

"Spill it."

"I'm pregnant," Sharon had spit it out almost as soon as Sandra finished speaking.

"I'm sorry, what?" Sandra looked at her dumbfounded.

"You heard me, and that's not all. Jack disappeared from rehab and is most likely in Las Vegas." Sharon said and then started to laugh. After a couple of minutes, she was able to stop and then turned to look at Sandra again, "I'm sorry it really isn't funny but now that I've finally told someone, I feel a bit better."

"Ok, you are going to need to explain because I don't quite understand. Last I heard Jack and Andy were doing good in the program." Sharon filled Sandra in on everything that had happened during her day and then said, "As for the pregnancy, I've suspected for a while but I didn't want it to be true since my life is currently in shambles. I am probably only about a month behind you, one thing I know for sure is that I am definitely not going to law school now."

"Well, I will do as much as I can to help you. Although you do realize if we both have boys it will be worse than the girls, since the boys will be a lot closer together," she said with a small laugh and then continued, "and don't think that way, you could still make law school work."

"No after everything that has happened lately I don't see it happening, and honestly I am quite happy working for the LAPD."

"Alright, I believe you. Now let's get to talking about babies!" Sandra practically yelled and grinned. Both girls had looked up when Sandra's voice got louder and stared at her before deciding that it didn't affect them and went back to playing.

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Andy returned three months later after completing the four month program the facility offered. When he got home, he looked so much healthier than he did when he left. Sharon didn't understand how she could have missed that he was having trouble, but then again she was having her own problems with Jack that had distracted her. For the next several months Andy was the model husband at home and the model partner at work, his life basically revolved around the two main women in it. Of course, he was not alone, Andrea and Gavin also pitched in to help whenever needed. They two of them had graduated from law school finally and were both after Sharon to file for divorce but she kept refusing, she believed Jack would come back.

None of her friends wanted Jack to come back, but they could tell that Sharon was still very much in love with him. About a month after Andy returned, Sharon had received a phone call from a rehab facility in Las Vegas where Jack was a patient. She took that to mean he really wanted to get better, he never told her that it was court ordered to avoid jail time and he never let anyone at the facility talk to her long enough to tell her either. After Sharon, had talked to him and told him about the new baby she knew in her heart he would come home. After that, there was really no dissuading Sharon about Jack. So, they all did their best to support her however they could.

Charles Flynn, or Charlie, was born three and half months after Andy returned home on April 13, 1991. Sharon didn't think she'd ever seen him to so excited as when he was holding his son, it made her envious. She really hoped that Jack would come home before her son's birth which would be any day now, he told her he would be but she was starting to have doubts he would make it in time.

While Sandra was in the hospital with Charlie, Sharon had offered to take Nicole so Andy could stay with his wife and baby and after convincing Andy she could handle it and would get Andrea to come help he agreed. She had just put both girls to bed and Andrea had just gotten in the shower when the doorbell rang.

When Sharon opened the door, she thought her heart had stopped, there was Jack. He was finally home, he gave her a sheepish smile before he spoke, "Hey Sharon, you look good."

She stood there so long that Jack thought that maybe she hadn't heard him until she finally reached out and wrapped her arms around him. She stood like that until she heard Andrea coming down the hallway and calling for her, "Hey Sharon, I thought you were going to bed-" she stopped talking as she walked up behind Sharon and noticed who was at the door. Andrea narrowed her eyes and then continued, "Oh, hi Jack. Sharon I'm going to sleep in Emily's room with the girls. You should go to bed; you need some rest."

Sharon nodded and said good night to Andrea as she pulled Jack into the house and into the living room to the couch. "I am so happy to see you," she started and gave him a once over before continuing, "you look good, how do you feel?"

"Me? I'm great, the better question is how are you doing?" he asked her. She smiled and then raked a hand across her stomach to calm her son who had started kicking her.

"We are doing good; I didn't think you were going to make it before he arrived?"

"He? It's a boy?" she nodded and then he spoke again, "Oh boy that's great! The facility I was at had a longer program length but I managed to convince them I had better places to be. I promise you though I am going to make up for being gone so long and make up my behavior for the last year. I already have a job in the public defender's office, unfortunately I lost the one I had with the State Attorney." The lies came so easily off his lips that he doubted she knew he was only telling half the truth. He had never gone to rehab in Vegas, he had managed to get a job for a bit representing someone with a shady business in a lawsuit. He had only returned to Sharon because he had blown all the money he had won in that case gambling and figured what better time to go home? She would never know and as he hugged her tight as she cried he smiled smugly to himself.

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May 17, 1991

Andy looked up as he heard his Captain calling for him across the room. "Yeah Captain?"

"I just got off the phone with Sharon, she needs you to give her a ride to the hospital something about not being able to get ahold of her husband." Andy had already started heading towards the door as his captain spoke before yelling back, "Alright, I'll see you all later," and then mumbled under his breath "damn, deadbeat asshole Jackson Raydor."

When Andy got to Sharon's house he found her in the living room breathing through a contraction as his wife sat next to her holding her hand before looking up, "I would have taken her but that would have meant taking all three kids too."

"It's ok Sandra, this gets me out of paperwork," he tried to joke. Sharon just looked up at him and gave him a glare. He could tell she was in pain as she retorted sarcastically, "gee thanks, glad I could be of service."

"That's not what I meant and you know it. Where is Jack? Shouldn't the husband of the year be here?" he asked with thinly veiled anger.

"He's …. in …. court," she replied between breaths as she battled another contraction.

Andy's anger dissipated a little bit, at least this time he had a valid excuse instead of being out drinking like when Emily was born, but he was still once again missing the birth of his child. He quickly helped Sharon into his car and said bye to his wife as he drove his partner and best friend to the hospital, where hopefully her husband would meet them.

Three hours later found Sharon holding her son as her partner sat next to her bed smiling at her. She looked down at her baby and kissed his head as Andy spoke, "so, you have never told me this little guys name." Andy had stayed with her throughout the entire delivery and just like he had done with Emily, he had cut the baby's cord.

"Hmmmmmm," she was so focused on her baby boy she didn't quite hear him at first, "oh, yeah. It is Richard, or Ricky for short." she said as smiled down at her baby again.

"Well hello there Ricky," Andy said and then looked at Sharon with a question in his eyes. She understood what he was asking and handed her son over, after all, Andy was the only one with her when he was born so he should be one of the first to hold him.

When Jack walked into his wife's hospital room to meet his son, it was like déjà vu of the day Emily was born. Liz Louie were there, as was Sandra who had brought all three of the kids with her, Andy was still sitting next to Sharon, and Gavin Andrea were fighting over the baby about shopping versus sports. They all looked up as they heard him come in the door and their smiles fell and turned into glares when they realized it was him. Sharon on the other hand only smiled.

He spoke as he walked towards her, "Hi honey, court ran long. I am so sorry and then I had a meeting with another client. When I got back to the office I finally got your message and got her as soon as I could."

"It's ok, it couldn't be helped this time," she said as she smiled at the flowers he had brought. She nodded at everyone to let them know it was ok for them to leave her with her husband. Sandra asked if she should take Emily but Sharon wanted her to stay so that it would just be her little family. Once everyone had left, Emily laid down next to Sharon as the two fell asleep leaving Jack to spend a little time with his new son.

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 _ **Well, Jack is finally and truly showing his real colors and I am finally getting to the angst part of this story; which unfortunately there will be some between our favorite partners in the coming chapters, I apologize in advance but I promise you will love where the story ends up! Thanks for reading and please review!**_


	6. Broken trust & Hearts aflame

_**I knew I loved you then**_

 _ **But you'd never know**_

 _ **'Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting go**_

 _ **I know I needed you**_

 _ **But I never showed**_

 _ **But I want to stay with you until we're grey and old**_

 _ **Just say you won't let go**_

 _ **Just say you won't let go**_

Over the next couple of years Sharon and Andy became thick as thieves as friends outside of work and as partners at work, they had the highest closure rate of anyone in RHD and were a force to be reckoned with. Their personal lives on the other hand were not so great.

For the first year after both boys were born their families were great, Andy and Jack started getting along again, the kids were thriving, and everything seemed on the up and up. All of that practically came to a screeching halt when Jack disappeared and Andy fell off the wagon right after Ricky's first birthday in late May of 1992. The two men had gone out with some mutual friends while the women had some kids from the park over for a sleepover.

"So Andy, Jack tells me that you and Sharon have known each other for quite some time," Jacks co-worker Billy asked.

"Uh yeah, we actually met back in college before Jack and Sharon got married," Andy began as he told them the basics of how he met Sharon.

"Too bad you didn't make your moves on Sharon then Andy, you really missed out," Jack said as he took a swig of a beer. Andy hadn't noticed the beer until that moment and his eyes suddenly narrowed. "I mean she really is something of a firecracker."

He kept staring Jack down as her answered, "Nah, I'm too nice a guy to take advantage of a woman when she is vulnerable. Besides she is a good friend and partner now and also happens to be friends with my wife."

Jack knew Andy was taking a dig at him with the comment about taking advantage of women, he had a feeling Andy was looking into him and his dealings. Every now and then Andy would make a snide comment that Jack knew was directly aimed at him, none of the other guys present seemed to notice however. Much later after Jack and Andy were the only ones left, Jack turned on Andy slurring his words as he spoke: "What is your problem with me?"

"My problem is that you have an incredible wife at home with your children and you start drinking again. My problem is that you don't seem to respect you wife and instead you treat her like she is your property. My problem is that I don't trust you and I know you are hiding something from Sharon. Mark my words Jack, I will find out what it is that you are hiding!" Andy yelled at Jack and watched as the man stood up and pulled back his fist to take a swing at him.

Andy ducked just as Jack swung and continued, "You are nothing but a drunk that doesn't know how lucky he is to have the family he has."

Jack stood up and bellowed back, "you are just jealous because I married Sharon before you could get your hands on her." Jack swung again and this time he hit Andy square on the jaw. When Andy recovered, he turned and swung back at Jack and knocked him back so he fell to the floor. At this point the few remaining people in the bar had stood up to separate the two that were fighting. When they pulled Andy off of Jack he started yelling again, "you are a worthless, sorry excuse for a man Jack. You better get your shit together and take care of your family like they deserve."

The bartender decided that since Jack had started the fight he was going to be booted but he was going to hold Andy until Jack had enough time to get far enough away. Andy was pissed as hell and not thinking clearly as he grabbed Jack's forgotten beer and finished it off before ordering another. He decided that since he was being held in a bar for a while then he might as well indulge in a few.

After their fight in the bar, Jack returned home long enough to pack some things and leave Sharon a letter on their bed. He decided he didn't need to put up with Flynn and his accusations, he enjoyed drinking and gambling and wanted to live his life without the inquisitions from his wife's partner. His family was staying over at the Flynn's house overnight, so Sharon wasn't home to see him leave.

Over the next couple of weeks Sandra and Sharon could not figure out what had happened and the only one who was around to answer their questions refused to, it seemed like the two men had had an argument that resulted in one going out on an all-night binge and one vanishing. The only thing that prevented Sharon from filing a missing person's report was the letter she had found when she got home the day Jack took off, he told her he needed time to himself and couldn't deal with life at the moment.

Sandra shipped Andy off to rehab for the second time and told him that if he fell off the wagon again he would not be allowed to return home after rehab again. She made it clear that he would go if he needed it a third time but that he better not because she would not be waiting around, she had two kids at home that didn't need the negativity in their lives. Andy promised that it would not happen again. Even with that promise when he returned home his relationship with Sandra was strained and they started arguing, though never in front of the kids.

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Jack returned after six months in November apologizing profusely and swearing he would never leave again. Sharon was starting to have her doubts about Jack but she allowed him to return home because in her mind, the kids needed their father. Emily was 4 and Ricky was 2 ½ the next time Jack disappeared in November of 1993, he had only been home for barely a year. This time there were no signs he had planned on running. When he returned months later in July of 1994, Sharon once again took him back after believing his lies and believing Jack when he said he would change.

When Jack came home this time he was the model husband and did everything to make up for running off all the time, although Sharon was still skeptical and kept a watchful eye on him. Sharon knew she had every right to keep an eye on him when she arrived home from work one day exhausted to find a letter waiting for her in January of 1994.

Each time Jack left there would be a letter waiting for Sharon when she got home, explaining his reasons for leaving and this was the 4th time he had disappeared barely six months after he had come home the last time. This time Sharon just picked up the letter and threw it in the desk drawer where she kept the others, it didn't matter why he had left again.

In the next couple of days after he left this time, Sharon found out that this disappearance had left her with a lot more problems than just him being gone. When Jack left, he wiped out almost all of their joint bank account. And she also started to discover that he had left her with quite a bit of debt as well; she had bill collectors calling her constantly, past due final notices appearing daily, and his buddies also came up to her because Jack owed them money. It was like so many things clicked into place for her; the unexplained reason they always seemed to be low on cash when they both had good jobs, the mysterious phone calls Jack was always trying to ignore, and it explained where he ran off to when he wasn't at work or home with her.

Sharon was so overwhelmed by it all but was doing a very good job of covering it up at work, she didn't think anyone suspected she was having so much trouble at home. She picked up overtime doing shifts on patrol when they didn't have a case and she cut costs at home as much as she could. She was more grateful for Sandra keeping the kids than ever before because it was at least saving her daycare. Sharon didn't even think that Andy realized what she was going through.

Sharon made herself a promise after she realized how bad a hole Jack had dug and left her in, she would never take him back. She would never forgive him either. Sharon vowed to never keep him from the kids if he wanted to see them but she had Gavin file for legal separation as well as custody paperwork on the kids about two months after he left. She had the locks changed on the house and resigned herself to being a single mother, which wasn't much of a change because Jack was never really around anyway. Jack always said he had too much work to do and never played with the kids, the kids relied more on Andy for fatherly duties than they did with Jack.

Andrea and Gavin were the only ones who knew the true extent of Sharon's problems and that was really only she needed their legal advice and help. She really didn't want to tell Andy because she knew how much the two had grown to hate each other, so she kept it hidden from him and pretended like nothing was wrong.

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Mid-April 1995

Andy could tell something was really bothering Sharon, he knew Jack had taken off again but there seem to be more to it that just him leaving. So, one day when it was relatively slow in Robbery/Homicide he drug her out to lunch at their favorite café near the office. She seemed to be trying to make him believe everything was good but he knew her better, he could see the bags under her eyes and could tell whatever was going on was putting a strain on her.

"Alright Sharon, out with it," she looked up at him surprised and went to say something but he held his hand up to stop her and continued, "don't even try to deny it. I know something more serious is going on than just Jack leaving."

She gave him a hard look and sighed before she looked down at her lap and started talking, "Jack didn't just leave this time Andy, he almost completely wiped out my bank account and left behind almost $30000 in debt. He's been gambling quite extensively for the last couple of years, at least since Emily was born because that's where he was that night." When she finished speaking she finally looked up at Andy with tears in her eyes and streaming down her face.

To say that Andy was pissed would be an understatement, he was livid. He had a feeling for the last several years that Jack was hiding something but he was never able to figure it out and now that he knew, he really wanted to hurt Jack. "I'm gonna hurt that son of bitch, I knew he was hiding something," Andy hit his hand against the table as he said this and made to get up but then realized he couldn't hurt Jack because he didn't even know where the bastard was. Another thing that stopped him was the fact that Sharon was full out crying now, so instead of getting up to locate her deadbeat husband he got up and slid into the booth next to her and held her while she cried.

Sharon cried for a minute and once she calmed down enough she was able to look up at Andy again. Andy wiped her tears and then tucked her hair behind her ear as he spoke, "please tell me you won't take him back again when he finally shows up again."

She shook her head, "no I'm not going to be doing that. I had Gavin draw up separation and custody paperwork. I changed the locks on the house as well. I'm working on settling the debts so they will stop coming after me, but Gavin is going to make sure that we are separated financially from here on out."

"Good. Honestly Sharon I'm glad, you and the kids don't need him dragging you all down," Andy stated and then carefully continued, "why don't you just file for divorce?"

Sharon considered her words before she spoke, "for right now, it will be beneficial to me to remain married even if we are not actually together. For work and religious reasons mainly, I'm Catholic and I really don't believe in divorce and it's not like I will ever get married again."

"Hmmmmm, I guess but Sharon do you really want to be tied to someone like Jack for the rest of your life?"

"Andy I don't really have a choice and I am not going to continue this conversation you know about my troubles but you don't get any input." Sharon finished her statement with such finality that Andy dared not say anymore. Andy moved back to his side of the table and they continued eating their lunch until their radios started going off paging them to a call for a home invasion that turned critical missing.

When Sharon and Andy first arrived on scene and walked in the house the first thing they noticed was children's toys everywhere and some were covered in blood. Provenza filled them in once he noticed them walk in, "a white male in his late 20s knocked on the door pretending to be a delivery man. Once the mother opened the door the subject forced his way in by gun point injuring the mother and when the father came to investigate he was shot. The mother woke up sometime later and called 911 and went upstairs to check on her daughters, only to find them gone."

"How old are the girls?" Andy asked.

"The girls Addison and Abigail, just turned four last week."

Sharon inhaled sharply and glanced at Andy, this was not going to be an easy case, the girls were only slightly younger than their own daughters. "Well let's find them and bring them home to their mother," Sharon told them both with determination in her voice.

It turned out that it was not going to be easy locating the girls, it seemed as if their kidnapper took them and vanished into thin air. The case drug on for weeks and was definitely wearing on Andy and Sharon. However, the case wasn't the only thing that was affecting Andy. His nightmares of Sharon being dead on her living room floor returned and they were much worse than before; not only was she dead but her kids would be lying next to her and Jack would be sitting on the couch drinking beer and watching tv like nothing was wrong.

Andy was haunted by his nightmares at night and haunted by the missing girls during the day, he was so exhausted that one day he was on autopilot as stepped into O'Malley's and ordered a beer. He knew it was wrong but couldn't bring himself to stop, he told himself that one beer wouldn't hurt. The case drug on for weeks and during that time Andy found he could drink and hide it from the women in his life, neither one of them had a clue.

It was six weeks after the home invasion that the girls were found. The young man that had kidnapped them had been hired by their biological father to get them back, he had been forced to sign away his rights from prison when their biological mother had put them up for adoption. He had dyed their hair and tried to smuggle them across the border into Mexico when border patrol stopped him and notified the LAPD the girls were safe.

The day they received the call that the girls were found should have been a good day and it was, it was such a good day that Andy decided to go to the bar to celebrate. He really didn't realize how much trouble he was in until he stumbled in his front door later that night to find Sandra sitting in the living room waiting up for him.

"Hey Sandra," he slurred as he fell onto the couch next to her.

"Andy, what are you doing?" she asked him with tears in her eyes.

"I was celebrating finding those kids," he smiled.

"Andy, you need to go back to rehab. I've packed a bag for you. It's waiting by the door; I think it is best if you just leave. I know you tried to hide it but I've been noticing the signs in the last couple of weeks, I know this isn't just a one night thing. When you didn't come home tonight I called Sharon and she said you left before her and then I knew exactly where you were."

"What are you talking about?"

"I told you the last time that you went to rehab that I would not be waiting for you when you came back a third time. And honestly Andy, I am tired of all the arguing. We haven't been the same since you got home last time and I can't do it anymore. I was waiting to tell you until you found those kids so I wouldn't distract you, but I called Gavin and had him draw up divorce papers," she said with a sad smile and tears in her eyes.

"Sandra we can work all this out, and I don't need to go back to rehab I have everything under control," he all but growled at her.

"Andy if you don't go back, you will not see the kids period. I am not going to let them grow up with an alcoholic father that is never around because as much as you love them, you are not yourself when you are drinking. And I am not going to stay married to a man that can't stay away from alcohol for the sake of his family." Sandra was crying full out by now and sniffling.

"You can't keep me from my kids."

"I can and I will. Go to rehab Andy and get yourself better."

"Fine I will go but I don't want a divorce," he said to her as he wiped her tears.

"I know you don't because you are a good guy Andy, but you don't love me you never have. I have always known that I just chose to ignore it."

"Of course I love you," even as he said, he realized it was true. Andy loved Sandra, he just wasn't in love with her.

"I've always known your heart belonged to someone else, I could just never figure out who. That was until you started having those nightmares, and calling her name out in your sleep. Does Sharon know you've been in love with her all these years?" Andy looked up startled at Sandra's words, she didn't seem upset about her last statement she just seemed at peace. "We've never been right for each other; Louie must have thought you were upset over me and that's why he came to me that night. What I've come to realize is that you were upset over Sharon, it all fits in with the timeline of when the two of you first met. I cannot believe I never put any of this together before now."

Andy looked into her eyes then, "I swear that I have never meant to hurt you. I really do love you and the kids."

"I know you do, but it's time we let each other go so that we may one day be happy in our lives again," Sandra stood up and kissed Andy on his forehead as she walked away to go to bed.

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Sharon woke up to the pounding on her front door and as she went to open it she swore she would make whoever it was pay if they woke up her kids at 2am. She was surprised to look through the peephole and see Andy on the other side of the door.

"Andy, what are you doing here at 2 am?"

Andy slurred as he spoke, "I came to say goodbye, Sandra signed me into rehab again and I leave tomorrow." After Andy, had watched Sandra walk down the hall away from him he realized that his life would never be the same, she was finally divorcing him. When that had sunk in he got up and went back to the bar until they closed at 1:30 and then drove straight over to Sharon's house.

Sharon almost slammed the door in his face until she realized he had a suitcase with him. She remembered Sandra saying she wouldn't allow him to stay if he started drinking again. Even with all her problems she knew Andy and Sandra weren't doing good and having problems, Sandra was her friend too and still watched her kids. Sharon just didn't know Andy had started drinking again.

She grabbed Andy's arm and helped him to the couch. As she helped him settle in he suddenly reached up and kissed her.

Sharon pushed Andy away from her and stood up abruptly, "what do you think you are doing?"

Andy seemed to be halfway asleep but he still responded, "finally kissing the woman I've been in love with for the last decade, I was too scared to stay that night Sharon and I've regretted it since. I love my kids but I ruined my chance to be with you."

"Andy, you don't know what you are saying. You are going to regret this in the morning, it's just the alcohol talking," she said as she tried to get him to stop, she couldn't listen to him say anymore.

"I've needed you in my life almost since the day I met you and I've realized my life is so much better with you in it." Sharon barely heard the last part because Andy was drifting as he said it and was now asleep, she doubted he would remember any of this in the morning and if he did he probably just think this was part of his dream. She would let him think it was a dream, she would never bring this up. She herself didn't know how she felt about any of what Andy said after all she told herself it didn't matter because she was still married.

The next morning Sharon pretended like the night before hadn't happened and Andy didn't seem to remember so she didn't have to worry about it. He helped her make the kids breakfast and then let her drive him to the rehab center he had gone to the last two times. As Sharon prepared to pull away from the rehab center Andy waved at her to roll her window down and then stepped up to her.

"I just wanted to tell you that I remember everything I said last night and I can tell you that I meant every word of it. I know that you don't feel the same way but I need you to promise me something before you leave because I won't be able to get through this again if you don't."

She looked at him a little surprised at his words and apprehensive of what his promise would be, "ok, what is it?"

"Just promise me that no matter what stupid things I have done or will do in the future that you won't let go of our friendship because I honestly believe that without you as my friend that life would be unbearable," as he said the last part he gave her a kiss on the forehead and then stood up really not expecting an answer from her then he waved to the kids in the backseat and started to walk inside.

He barely heard her as she whispered, "I promise." Andy turned back around just in time to watch her pull away. What he didn't realize as he watched her drive away was that it would be him that would have trouble keeping his end of the promise. Andy's life would not be the same when he returned home and neither would hers.

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 _ **This chapter was not easy to write and I had a hard time getting the story to flow the way I wanted. Please feel free to advise me of any inaccuracies that I may have missed when looking it over. Hope you enjoyed and please review!**_


	7. What's a little anger between friends?

_**I'm asking for prayers, there is an over 50 acre fire very close to my hometown that seems to be getting bigger due to the windy conditions. We have probably hundreds of law enforcement and firefighter personnel doing their best to battle this blaze before it takes out the surrounding neighborhoods. We REALLY need some rain. Any prayers are appreciated for the first responders as well as the residents affected by the fire.**_

 _ **I seem to be confusing myself with the timeline so I might go back and update the previous chapters with dates. For now I will just provide an update. At the beginning of this chapter it has been almost 10 years since Andy and Sharon first met and about 6 months since Jack left.**_

 _ **Also, this chapter is kind of a filler chapter but I hope you enjoy it just the same.**_

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While Andy was in rehab, Sharon adapted to playing partner roulette for a while amongst the detectives in Robbery/Homicide. And by the end of the second month she had made a decision about work that not only affected her but would affect Andy as well and she knew he wouldn't like.

She was currently studying to take the sergeants exam and once she did there was a spot available for her in Internal Affairs in the Force Investigations Division. Captain Miller had sought her out specifically for the job as he had heard that she was a stickler for the rules and had an exemplary service record herself, she would be the perfect replacement for Sgt. Adams who was retiring. The job in FID would also allow Sharon a better schedule and carried less risks of being hurt on the job, which she needed now that she was a single mother with two kids who relied on her.

Sharon's only hesitance was that she didn't know how Andy would react and as one of her best friends she really didn't want to lose him, she had promised him that she wouldn't let go of their friendship. She was still trying to forget what he had said to her, there was no way he actually loved her it had to be just the alcohol talking.

"To Sharon, congratulations on passing the sergeants exam," Gavin said as he raised his glass of wine. He, Sharon, Sandra, and Andrea were at the Flynn residence to celebrate passing her exam. Sharon had been working hard and had barely had a minute to herself between work and the kids so her friends decided they weren't taking no for answer when they made plans to celebrate. Sandra would also be keeping the kids overnight and Sharon would be going to the spa the next day with Gavin and Andrea.

"And congratulations on the new job!" Sandra pitched in as Andrea cheered, "here, here!"

"Thank you all, we really didn't need to have a celebration but who am I to turn down a glass of wine with my friends," Sharon told them as she smiled. "But seriously I do appreciate all the help you have given me since Jack left, I don't know what I would do without all of you," she continued as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Oh don't get all sappy now, you know we'd do anything to help you and as for the celebration you know Gavin and I cannot turn down a good opportunity to drink wine," Andrea joked. Andrea's comment had the exact effect she hoped as Sharon wiped her tear and started laughing.

"So Sharon when do you start with FID?" Sandra asked as she poured more wine in everyone's glass.

"Um, I have one more week in RHD and then I start training next Monday. Captain Miller is training me personally."

"Well that should be interesting," Gavin drawled out while raising one eyebrow "and just how close do you plan on getting to the Captain?"

"Oh Gavin stop, it's not like that. He believes that I show a lot of promise and wants to make sure I am trained correctly," Sharon told him while giving him a look that he took to mean she wasn't up for playing games. "You should know better than anyone that I am still married."

"Yes and I really wish you would let me file divorce papers for you," he told her with a pout. At his words both Sandra and Andrea got up and walked into the kitchen, they had had this conversation many times and did not want to get into the middle of it.

"I've told you many times that being married has benefits, one of the benefits means that I cannot be accused of sleeping with co-workers to further my career. I am making my way up on my own merit. No matter how much you hate Jack and wish I would divorce him, it is helping me to stay married," she told him in a no-nonsense voice. Gavin looked at her for a minute before he let out a breath and nodded, "Ok I will stop pushing you to divorce him, just know I'm still not happy aobut this."

"Well that makes two of us. I'm not happy about it either but I am at peace with my decision. Now we are putting a damper on the evening and if I know Andrea she has ordered Chinese and Sandra probably has fresh brownies down," she said with a smile as she stood up from the couch and grabbed his wrist to pull him with her as she walked into the kitchen to find the other two laughing. They of course had still heard the entire conversation from where they stood in the kitchen and they both had down exactly what Sharon had said.

"So, Andrea do Gavin and Sharon know about your promotion?"

"What promotion?" they both asked at the same time. Andrea whipped her head towards Sandra and glared at her as she turned back to the other two and told them, "you are looking at the newest Deputy District Attorney for the city of Los Angeles."

"Seriously?" Sharon asked with her eyes wide and as Andrea nodded Sharon squealed and hugged her tight.

"Oh man," at his words the three women turned to look at Gavin "that means that I am going to have to face you in court. Oh, and I also made partner." The three women all jumped on him giving him hugs and when they all fell because Gavin lost his balance and wasn't able to support the three of them they all started laughing like little girls.

"Mommy?" the adults turned to find Emily and Nicole standing there staring at them with quizzical looks.

"We are fine sweetie, we all just had some good news and then fell giving hugs," Sharon tried to explain. Nicole just shrugged and muttered under her breath 'adults' as she walked off. Emily still looked at her mother and took a step forward as Sharon spoke again "Emily I promise, mommy is fine." At Sharon's words Emily stepped forward to give her mom a hug and then ran off after Emily.

"If they think we are ridiculous at 8 and 6, can you imagine how they are going to be as teenagers?" Gavin asked the women as Sandra and Sharon groaned. They were not looking forward to those years as Nicole already had Andy's short temper and Emily was a little diva.

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Andy made a promise to himself that he was going to make sure rehab stuck this time, he'd lost Sandra and he was going to make damn sure he didn't lose his kids because of alcohol. He also had to figure out how to make it up to Sharon for being a complete ass the night before he came back to the rehab center. While he was in the treatment facility he was making sure to follow the rules exactly and to listen to all the advice they were providing so that hopefully when he got home he would be able to stay sober this time.

He had a plan. He was going to find a nice apartment and do everything he could to prove to Sandra that he could still be a good father even if he wasn't her husband anymore. The treatment facility was also going to set him up with AA meetings at a local church close to his old neighborhood so he could go as often as he wanted. Andy promised himself that no matter how hard the case at work got that he would at least talk to Sharon about it instead of drinking.

Andy was released from the facility in early October 1995 and Sandra surprised him by coming to pick him up with the children and they all went to lunch together so they could explain to the kids the new living situation. Sandra would remain in their house with the kids and Andy was moving into a new apartment that was only three blocks away. The kids would not be staying the night with Andy for a while, it was a hard decision but he had agreed when Sandra had brought it up. She trusted him with children but she still had her doubts about him keeping his sobriety and he understood.

Another thing Andy was looking forward to after getting out of rehab besides seeing his kids was going back to work. At work, he could stay busy and the busier he was the less he was likely to drink. Sharon was another thing that added to his anxiousness to go back to work, he had not heard from her and he didn't think it would be appropriate to just go to her house after his behavior. He actually hadn't heard from her since the day she dropped him off and he was really missing his best friend.

Andy's excitement at returning to work diminished almost as soon as he stepped through the doors of the department. Everyone who spotted him came up to him to say hi and ask about his well-being but they all made sure to mention what they thought about Sharon. He didn't understand it because before he left everyone had loved her, she was a damn good cop and always had your back. Andy didn't get his answer until he walked into the squad room to find Provenza waiting for him.

"It's about damn time you got back," he grumbled at Andy.

"Yeah, it's good to see you too Louie," Andy replied with a smirk and then added, "so what's with everyone nagging on Sharon?"

Provenza grunted and then asked, "you mean to tell me, she didn't tell you she was transferring to the rat squad?"

"What," Andy exclaimed, "she wouldn't do that. She loves being in robbery/homicide."

"Well whether you believe it or not, she went and joined them about two months ago. And from the way she acts, you would never know she used to be one of us."

"You're lying," Andy told him and then turned to look at everyone else, "come on guys, quit pulling my chain." Captain Mathers walked out of his office when he heard the commotion.

"Hey Andy, welcome back. Provenza will be your new partner now that Sharon is in FID," Capt. Mathers told him as he shook his hand and then walked back into his office. Once Andy realized they weren't joking he slumped down in his chair. He couldn't believe Sharon had left the department and didn't tell him, he thought this clearly meant she was trying to avoid him and didn't plan to keep his promise. Well, he thought, if she wanted to avoid him then he would help her.

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It turns out avoiding Sharon was a lot harder than Andy anticipated both at work and in his home life. He would often pass her as he was leaving Sandra's house after visiting with the kids since Sandra still watched the Raydor kids. Sandra would only allow him to visit the kids in her presence for a while and nothing overnight until she felt ready to trust his sobriety. Andy would also pass her in the hall or the elevator at work, during these times he would do everything in his power to either pretend to be busy or start talking to someone else.

The first time that Andy really saw her was about six months after he had returned to work. It was 2 am when he and Provenza had just arrived at a crime scene when they heard yelling followed by the sound of gunfire. They ran around the back of the house guns drawn to find a patrol officer standing over a white male in his 20s and several more standing behind with their guns still draw.

"Ye Gods, what the hell happened?" Provenza yelled at the young officer while other patrol officers continued to clear the residence for the second time.

The young patrol officer spoke up then, "we had just cleared the residence and were starting to process the scene when this guy comes running into the house with a gun in his hand. We told him to drop his weapon and put his hands up but he took off and ran. He didn't listen to my commands and then he pointed his gun at me, so I shot him."

"So now not only do we have to solve the murder of the original body but now we have to figure out who this dirtbag is?" Andy yelled.

"Calm down Flynn, in all likelihood this was probably our killer," Provenza stated and then turned to look at the patrol officer who was trying to get his attention. "Yes, officer ..."

"Bates, officer Bates," the young man provided.

"What is it that you need officer Bates?"

"Well, it's not that I need anything sir but I wanted to inform you that FID is on their way and said not to touch anything until they get here."

"Great that's just great, the last thing I want to deal with is the rat squad." Andy grumbled.

"Cool it Flynn, if we are lucky it will be that idiot Sgt. Austin on call tonight and he will just be in a hurry to get back to his bed to actually care," Provenza told him with a hopeful grin. It was 30 minutes later that a patrol officer had walked up to tell them FID was there. "It's about time, what did they do walk here?" Provenza joked.

"Actually Detective, I had to wake my young children up in the middle of the night and take them to my sitter," Sharon said as she walked up behind him and Andy. Andy froze where he stood and couldn't bring himself to turn around and face her.

"Oh Sharon it's you, I see they finally decided to let you off Capt. Mathers leash," Provenza said as he smirked. This would be easier than he thought since she used to be one of them, he figured she didn't want to be here anymore than they wanted her here.

"It's Sgt. Raydor detective and as far as my 'leash' goes, I am no longer a training officer in FID and will be taking my own cases. Now if you and the rest of your team would be so kind as to step behind the red tape until my team is done here." Sharon told him with a clipped tone as she slipped her hands into the pockets of her navy-blue trench coat. She hadn't yet noticed that Andy was there as he was hidden from view by several of the patrol officers.

Provenza looked a little taken aback as she finished speaking but once he had processed what she said he responded, "Now Sgt. Raydor, there's no need for the red tape. If you could just take the statements you need and let us continue with our crime scene, we would certainly appreciate it." She could tell he was trying to use their history of working together against her and she wasn't going to budge.

"Det. I have no intention of doing that, now as I've said I've already gotten my children taken care of so that I can focus on my job. My job right now is this officer involved shooter, which I have 72 hours to report on. Step behind the red tape please." Sharon turned her chin down to glare at him over her glasses.

"Fine, Fine. Come on Flynn let's go," he said as he grabbed his arm to pull him with him.

Sharon looked surprised to see Andy there. "Hello Det. Flynn," she said to him as Provenza drug him away. He didn't even turn to acknowledge her and instead just walked off. Sharon was hurt, she had a feeling he had been avoiding her and she had made every chance to try and talk to him but he always seemed busy. She stared at his back for a minute longer before she schooled her features and her mask slipped back into place. She had a job to do and she would not let Andy acting like an ass distract her from it.

Once Sharon closed her case and robbery/homicide had closed theirs she hoped she would get the chance to talk to Andy. Just like before the case he continued ignoring her so she eventually just gave up, she didn't have time in her life to deal with petulant grown men who wanted to act like a little boy.

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October 1996

Over the next couple of months Sharon was given more leeway in FID investigations as she grew more comfortable. To other members of the police department especially those that knew her before seemed to think she had a stick constantly up her butt and thought fit to say it to her face. She was a stickler for the rules and followed them perfectly and expected others to do the same. She became known for sending officers to sensitivity training and sexual harassment seminars, she was not going to let them walk all over her because she had a job to do and she did it pretty well. She was helping to protect her fellow officers even if they didn't seem to appreciate the way she did it. She could live with them being mad at her as long as they were safe and did their jobs correctly.

The longer she was in FID the more everyone around her seem to forget that she was once their friend and a damn good cop. Hell, she was still a damn good cop. She was also still their friend even if they were no longer friends with her and she didn't really have time to care.

Each time Sharon came across Det. Flynn, as she had taken to calling him now, he always seemed to pick a fight with her and generally ended up attending a seminar or too. He had some bad anger management issues that had developed since he had gotten back, she sometimes wondered if it was her fault but tried not to dwell on it too much. She was doing what was necessary for her children.

"I don't know what has gotten into Sharon that you used to be one of the good guys and a damn good cop," Det. Flynn growled at her. She had just notified him that he was being sent to another anger management seminar, his third in the six months since the first crime scene she had seen him at. He stood next to her desk in the FID squad room his face was red and his fists clenched as he stared at her. She was standing in front of him with her hands in her pockets of her blazer, it was her defensive self-preservation stance.

"In case you haven't noticed Detective, I am still a good cop. I am good cop who is busy keeping the officers of this department safe and in their jobs. This is no longer up for discussion; you will attend the seminar and that is final." As Sharon finished speaking she glared at Andy and then walked into the direction of the bathroom away from the prying eyes of everyone in the department who had stopped to watch the scene he was causing. Andy watched her walk away and then huffed and stalked off towards the elevators to go back to the seventh floor where robbery/homicide was located.

Sharon pulled into the driveway at Sandra's later that night and before she got out of her car she laid her head against where her hands sat on the steering wheel. She had been keeping her emotions in check since her run in with Andy earlier in the day and it was finally coming out. She sat there for a good ten minutes crying when she heard a knock on her window and she turned to see Sandra standing there.

"Hey Sharon, why are you sitting out here in your car? Hiding from the kids are you?" Sandra joked as she opened the door and that's when she noticed the tears. "What's wrong?" she added as her smile fell from her face.

"Nothing," Sharon said as she wiped the tears and tried to brush Sandra off. "Where's the kids? I'm really tired and ready to go home."

"Uh huh, you are not getting off that easy. The kids are fine they are upstairs playing," she told her as she started to pull Sharon out of her car. "Come on inside, stay for dinner. Heck stay the night so you don't have to worry about getting up early to bring them here."

"I can't do that."

"Yes you can, look I am your friend and I can tell right now that you really need one." At that Sharon finally relented and walked inside with Sandra.

"Go sit in the living room while I go check on the kids and then get us a glass of wine," Sandra said softly with a smile.

Sharon didn't answer respond she just walked into the living room and slipped out of her blazer and the pumps she had worn to work that day and then sat on the couch curling her legs under her. Sandra returned several minutes later and handed her a glass of wine as she sat next to her on the couch.

"So is this a situation in which I need to call Gavin and Andrea over too or will just talking to me help?"

"There is no need to call them, I'm fine really."

"You are not fine. If you were fine, I wouldn't have found you crying in your car in my driveway. So, what's up?" Sharon could tell that Sandra was not going to give up so she finally relented.

"It's Andy. He is having more difficulty than I imagined with my transfer."

"What do you mean? He seems great when he comes to see the kids and every now and again he mentions seeing you at work."

"If by seeing me you mean passing me in the hallway and doing everything he can to avoid me. I've crossed paths with him a couple of times and every time I do it ends in a blowout shouting match. Today was no different. I have developed a pretty thick skin since moving to Internal Affairs but when it comes to Andy, everything he says gets to me. I just miss my friend." Sharon confessed to Sandra as she started crying once again.

Neither one of them had heard the door open when Andy walked in while they were talking. He had stopped when he heard Sharon's voice since he still did not want to see her, he didn't mean to eavesdrop but he came to see the kids and he was about to walk back out and knock when he heard Sharon crying.

"He heard what she said about missing her friend and he felt like such an ass, he had been doing everything possible to push her away and push her buttons because he thought she didn't care.

He walked back to the front door then opened and closed it again loudly calling out, "where's my favorite rugrats?" As soon as he said that Sharon's head snapped up as she hurriedly wiped her tears and then stood up as she headed to the bathroom to clean up. Sandra stood up as she watched Sharon walk off and heard the thunder of feet on the stairs as all four kids came running calling out as they did.

"Daddy!" "Andy!" "Andy!" "Daddy!"

"Hey there they are," he said as they tackled him with hugs. All four kids piled on him them and they all started laughing.

"Hey Andy, I didn't realize you were coming over today," Sandra told him as she walked around the corner to where they all stood in the entryway.

"I know, I'm sorry. I had a tough day and really wanted to see the kids. It's lucky I got here before these two knuckleheads got picked up so I can see them too," he said as he ruffled Ricky's hair and tickled Emily's side.

"Yeah they miss you, Sharon's here too they are going to stay the night tonight."

"Oh ok, if it's a bad time I can come back tomorrow," Andy shrugged as he spoke. He didn't really want to see Sharon at the moment, as bad as he felt for how he treated her he was still mad at her.

"No it's fine, we are just about to sit down to dinner. Why don't you join us?" Sandra figured she needed to get the two of them in the same room so they can finally talk out their issues. She knew Andy loved her and right now he was doing a hell of a job showing it. It had now been over a year since the divorce he needed to move on, she had. Her new boyfriend Brad was a doctor and he was madly in love with her. So, since she was happy she decided they needed to be too so she would willingly play matchmaker and inviting Andy to dinner would just be the start of it. Sandra grinned when Andy relented and agreed to join them.

"Sure, that sounds nice," Andy told her with a smile as he saw Sharon come back from the bathroom out of the corner of his eyes and turned to look at her, "Hey Sharon."

"Hi, Andy"

"Mommy!" her kids yelled as they saw her walk in, they didn't know she had come in.

"Hi my babies," Sharon kneeled down and wrapped her arms around them both. "I missed you guys today." Andy really looked at her then and noticed what he hadn't before, she looked exhausted. He should have figured that with being a single parent and working hard to pay Jack's debts while keep a roof over her kids that she would be running herself ragged. He's been such an ass. He looked at her hugging her kids and at that moment made a promise to himself, he was really going to try and do better when it came to Sharon.

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 _ **I hope you don't get disheartened by the continuing angst amongst our favorite couple, good things are coming I promise as I have a plan!**_


	8. Healing the cracks in the foundation

**_Thank you for any prayers surrounding the fire it got up to 165 acres before it could be contained, however, there was no loss of life and no houses lost. The only property lost was part of 40-year-old girl scout camp. Our first responders here are fantastic!_**

 ** _Now on to story news. I went back and added dates to all the chapters because I was confusing myself. The timeline doesn't fit the actual show but that's why it is A/U and completely my story so I am writing it the way I want. Enjoy the new chapter!_**

 ** _Nicole 8, Emily 7, Charlie Ricky 5 ½_**

It turns out Sandra's idea to force Andy and Sharon to sit down to dinner backfired. Sharon was still too upset with Andy to be in the same room as him and had also developed a migraine from being so upset and stressed out that she ended up laying down before dinner. Andy ended up eating with the four kids while Sandra took care of some household stuff and got some medicine for Sharon.

Once dinner was over, Andy helped Sandra get the kids into bed and then left for the night. He still felt like an ass for how he had been treating Sharon but he decided he didn't want to disturb her when she wasn't feeling well, he would find time to talk to her.

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March 1997

Sharon took a deep breath as she got out of her car it was a beautiful early spring day and the perfect day for a t-ball game. They had signed the boys up several weeks ago and today was the first-time Sharon had the chance to come, she noticed Sandra sitting in the stands and walked over to sit with her.

"Hey sorry I am late, I had to submit my report but as long as no one else gets involved in a shooting today I am all yours," Sharon told Sandra with a smirk.

"Well there is a significantly less chance of that happening since my darling ex-husband isn't working today," she replied with a smile as she turned to look at Sharon, "he is on his way here. He is so excited to watch the boys play."

Sharon hadn't really seen Andy lately, to be honest she had been avoiding him. "Hmmm, me too. Is Brad coming?"

"Yeah, he should be here around the same time as Andy."

Brad and Andy arrived about 15 minutes later right as the game was about to start. Brad gave Sharon a hug and kissed Sandra before sitting down next to her. Andy said hello to the women before sitting in the only available seat next to Sharon. Throughout the game as the four of them cheered for the boys Andy would occasionally glance in Sharon's direction, it had been a long time since he had seen her look so carefree and it only reminded him of how far apart they had drifted. He had no one to blame but himself, he knew he needed to make it up to her he just had to figure out where to start.

As the game ended and they were waiting for the boys to finish up with their team Sandra took the time to go and call the sitter who was watching the girls and Brad went with her. Andy turned to Sharon: "How have you been?"

"Hmmm," she hummed as she took her gaze off the boys and looked over at him, "oh um, I'm fine. Busy." She didn't feel like elaborating, especially not to him. The others members of the department who didn't know her were more than welcome to their opinions but his opinions hurt. Andy went to say something else to her as her phone rang.

"Sgt. Raydor," she answered with power in her voice. "Where? … How long ago? … Ok, I'm on my way."

"You got to go to work?"

"Uh yeah, officer involved shooting. Can you tell Sandra I had to go?" she asked Andy as she started to walk towards her car, "Oh shoot, I was supposed to keep them tonight so she could go out."

Andy could see her getting flustered and before he could stop himself he spoke up, "Don't worry about it Sharon, I will watch the kids. Go to work."

"Ok but only if you are sure," she said as she continued walking to her car. He nodded at her before she finally got to her car and left.

Sharon got home a little after 2 am to find the TV in the living room still on and Andy asleep on the couch. She didn't really want to disturb him so she turned the TV off and went to check on the kids before going to her room, she was exhausted and ready to collapse. The next morning, she woke up a little after 9 to the smell of bacon and her kids laughing. Sharon got out of bed and crept down the hall until she had a visual of her kitchen and saw Andy cooking and goofing off to get a reaction out of the kids. It made her heart melt and sad at the same time, they had never had their father do anything like this for them and they never would.

She cleared her throat as she walked closer to the kitchen. Andy flashed her his boyish grin as he spoke, "Oh hey Sharon, we were just having a little fun."

"Yes I see that," she replied and smiled as she picked Ricky up out of his chair and then sat down pulling him on her lap.

"What time did you get in last night?"

"Late, I didn't want to wake you. I wrapped up my case though so I don't have to go in today," she told him. It was weird for him to be in her house after so long she wasn't quite sure what to think.

"I see," he said with a nod, "so you won't be punishing any innocent officers today?"

"Andy -," she started to say as she stood up preparing for an argument. He held up his hand before she could continue, "I didn't mean that, forget I said it. Look I am done with breakfast why don't I just go? I have a meeting I need to get going to anyway." He was already at the door putting on his jacket as he finished speaking. She just nodded and waved as the kids hollered bye to Andy as he walked out the front door.

Sharon sighed and wondered if her and Andy would ever be able to have a civil conversation again. As she contemplated the state of her relationship with Andy she forced a smile on her face before turning back to the kids, "Ok guys let's eat and then what do you say we head to the beach with Gavin and Andrea?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Emily yelled as she quickly sat down and started scarfing her food down as Ricky did the same. The kids were done in less than 5 minutes before they were running to their rooms to get ready, Sharon just laughed as she walked to her room to change herself the kids had already put her in a better mood.

A little while later she found herself pulling into the parking lot at her favorite stretch of beach to find Gavin and Andrea leaning against the side of his Porsche convertible. As she put the car in park and proceeded to get out of the car her friends were already getting the kids out as another car pulled up next to hers, Sandra and Brad. She should have known when she called Gavin for a friends day that he would call Sandra.

"So we are making it a whole group affair," she asked him.

"Of course, I need all my little minions so when one gets bored of fanning me there are three others to take turns," he said matter of factly. She laughed at him as she smacked him in the arm and walked over to greet Sandra.

"You just wish you could get them to do your bidding like me," he yelled after her as he went to find them a good spot.

"Hey Sharon, surprised ya didn't we?" Sandra smiled as she hugged her.

"Yeah, but it's a good surprise. Now come on let's go have some fun."

The kids were able to convince Gavin to let them bury him in the sand and then they ran off, none of the adults felt inclined to help him and laughed as he struggled out of the sand and then ran after the kids.

"So Sandra, did you tell your friends the good news?" Andrea and Sharon both looked at Brad and then at Sandra as she spoke, "Brad is moving in with us."

"Yes! I knew it, Gavin owes me $20," Andrea said with a fist pump. Sharon snorted and then grinned, "$20? You bet light, he owes me $50." Sandra stared at them with open mouths.

"Don't look at us like you are actually surprised, you should know us better by now," Andrea smirked as she laid back in her lounge chair.

"I mean it was only a matter of time and he was practically living with you already, it was the logical next step." Sharon told her and then leaned back in her lounge chair with a book propped up in her lap.

"They're right babe," Brad said as he stood up and kissed her head then went off to help Gavin wrangle the kids. Sandra laughed and joined her friends in relaxing into her chair, it had been too long since the four of them had a day together and she couldn't be enjoying it more.

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May 1997 – July 1998

Sharon was once again investigating a member of robbery/homicide and she wasn't happy about. Each and every time she had to visit her old squad they acted like they had never worked with her. She was developing a pretty thick skin when it came to the insults she heard on a daily basis from angry officers. She would never tell anyone but she was actually quite fond of some of them, her favorite was wicked witch seeing as how the Wizard of Oz was one of Emily's favorite movies and of course Darth Raydor.

Over the last year she had become the one you did not want to mess with and she scared even members of the top brass. She was very good at her job and didn't tolerate anyone straying outside the lines of the law. She had even started to create her own procedures and methods to doing things that were proving to be very effective and had earned her a recent promotion to Lieutenant, she was one of the youngest females to ever achieve the rank. The increase in rank had come with her own office and a pay raise, which meant she would be able to breathe a little easier at night. She was still paying off Jack's debts while keeping a roof over their heads, it had been tight lately but now it would be much easier.

As Sharon approached the squad room she could hear her old team talking and laughing, she smiled a little at the memories of when she was included in their banter. Her smile dropped as soon as she heard who was talking and what it is they were laughing about, her.

"Hey Flynn since your old partner is becoming the Queen Bitch of the rat squad you planning on jumping ship too?" Det. Miller asked him.

Andy laughed as he replied, "Nah man, I'm going stay far away from her unless I have some rat poison to fend her off." It was at this moment that they all heard the click of heels on the floor as Sharon finally starting walking further down the hall and rounded the corner so she was in their line of sight. All the laughter stopped immediately and Flynn turned his back toward her and sat down in his chair as he started working on paperwork. Apparently trying not to insult her wasn't working for him, to his own defense he didn't know she was there.

Sharon stood tall with her hands in her blazer pockets and her voice was like ice as she spoke, "Det. Miller if you would come with me please?" As she finished her statement she started to walk off without barely a glance in Andy's direction so she missed his sad depressive eyes as they watched her walk away.

After that day, it became very hard for Andy to be alone with Sharon no matter how hard he tried, it seemed she was now avoiding him. At work she was always surrounded by members of her squad so he tried to catch her at Sandra's but she always managed to avoid him, it seemed his ex-wife was helping her in that matter.

"Sandra I really need to talk to Sharon," Andy pleaded with his ex-wife for the umpteenth time.

"I'm sorry Andy but she has made her feelings towards you pretty clear to me," Sandra told him with an empathetic smile, "she's also told me what she has overheard you saying about her and Andy I am inclined to continue helping her. I told you to get better and then practically pushed you in her direction and you go and make an ass of yourself."

"I know and I didn't mean those things I said, the guys and I were just having some fun," he told her as he raised his arms in frustration as he followed her around helping to clean up the kids mess in the living room after his visit.

"That's my point, you were having fun at her expense. Andy, you made her the butt of your joke and she happened to overhear it."

"I didn't know she was there or I never would have said it!"

"You just don't get it. Andy she has had enough of the men in her life dumping on her and at a time when she really needs you most you act like an ass in front of your friends instead of sticking up for her," Sandra said to him as she put the last toy away and turned to look him in the eye. "You need to make this right Andrew Michael Flynn."

"I know, I am trying."

"Well you are not doing a very good job of it," she scoffed at him. "I still have friends whose husbands work on the force and they've told me about your antics lately. If you would stop pissing her off and getting into shouting matches she would stop sending you to anger management and then maybe you could actually talk to her."

"I know, I'm just always so angry."

"Well maybe that is your first step, getting help with your anger. Then talk to her, she misses you as her friend more than she will ever admit to you. Now are you still going to stay here with the kids so Brad and I can go out on Saturday?" She asked him as she walked him to the door. She still didn't allow him to take the kids overnight but he was always able to stay with them at the house, she was leaning towards allowing overnight visits soon.

"You're right Sandra, like always. You always seem to know how to deal with my feelings before I do. I'll be here at 6 on Saturday right after work," he told her as he walked out the door and to his car.

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Andy took Sandra's advice to heart and he promised himself he was going to get help for his anger issues, he just had to figure out where to start. But as much as Andy wanted to repair his friendship with Sharon he found it really hard to do when she seemed to do nothing but push his buttons. What Andy failed to think about was that he had earned her wrath 75% of the time, the other 25% he could swear she did it just for fun. He and Provenza seemed to get in trouble constantly and she loved her seminars, she routinely sent them to at least one every couple of weeks. Andy started making a game out of going to the seminars, he and Provenza kept score and whoever got sent to the least got to drive for a month so they wouldn't fight over driving anymore.

Right now, Andy was losing the race by one and was currently sitting in Sharon's office as she gave him the riot act once again. He had pissed off some idiot in traffic and was trying to think of a reason to get out of whatever seminar she planned to send him to.

Sharon stopped talking as he stared at her with a smile. "Det. Flynn are you even listening to me?"

"Huh, uhhh oh no I wasn't I'm sorry. But go ahead and continue," he said as he kept the grin on his face.

"That grin makes me think you are up to something Andy, you forget I know you." She smiled as she spoke and Andy looked at her eyes, it had been too long since he had seen that sparkle.

"Eh maybe, might be thinking about how to piss you off next," he said with a cheeky grin. She scoffed at him and said with a laugh, "you don't need to think, you and Provenza get together and things just seem to happen."

He stared at her, she seemed to be in a good mood so he decided he would ask her the question that has been bugging him. "Sharon, why did you transfer?"

The grin fell from her face as she stiffened and dropped her eyes to stare at her hands in her lap. "I didn't think that you even cared, that is the first time you have actually asked me that," she said as she sighed and looked back up at him. He grimaced when he realized she was right. "I'm sorry."

"When you came back you never gave me a chance to explain you were just mad and immediately thought I had done it to punish you or that I hated you." Andy just stared at her so she took that to mean she should continue.

"I never thought I would have to explain it to you, I figured you would understand. I didn't betray you Andy like you seem to think. I needed a more stable schedule and something safer, I couldn't take the chance of getting hurt and then leaving my kids with no mother after their father had abandoned them." Sharon was glad that it was late and they were the only two in the squad room as a tear rolled down her cheek. "You were my partner and my best friend and you weren't there even after I had always been there for you."

"I really am an ass aren't I?"

His comment got her to laugh before she answered, "Yes you are." Her smile dropped again, "Andy I am not out to get you or anyone else, I am only following the rules and policies to keep everyone safe and on the job."

"No matter how you spin it, I still see it as the rat squad."

"Well then I don't know what else to tell you," she told him. "We used to be best friends and now we can barely have a civil conversation."

"I know, I really am trying. And whether you see it or not, I am working on getting my anger issues under control. The meetings I go to are helping."

"That's good for you Andy," she looked at her watch then before she spoke again, "It is starting to get late and I need to get home to the kids," she told him as she stood to gather her belongings.

"So no seminar this time," he joked. She smiled, "it's not too late you know. But in all seriousness Andy I am glad you are getting help." Andy watched her walk away, he didn't know if they could ever go back to being friends after his behavior over the last couple of years but he was sure that after this conversation that things were at least starting to move in the right direction.


	9. The Unexpected

That day after Andy had finally listened to Sharon's reasoning behind transferring he made a promise to himself that he would try harder at work and heck he might even stick up for her. He found himself following that promise with others, he promised himself he would look out for her, he promised himself he would help with Ricky and Emily; he promised himself a lot of things.

Andy was able to keep most of the promises in the months that followed. He watched his behavior at work and that of those around him and even took to correcting the other members of his squad when they did wrong. He stopped people in the hall when he would hear them talking bad about Sharon and remind them that no matter how many times she has pissed them off, she has also saved their asses; that would usually shut them up and Andy would walk away with a smug grin.

He also found himself spending a lot more time with the Raydor kids too. Sandra had finally started allowing overnight visits not long after his conversation with Sharon, what he didn't know about that though was that Sharon had convinced Sandra to allow it. When he would pick up his kids up for the weekend he would often take the other two, especially when he knew she was on call. He really enjoyed spending time with all of the kids.

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After she was finally able to explain to Andy the reasons for her transfer she realized that he started adjusting his behavior and sometimes would go out of his way to be nice to her. She was still wary however, because she heard things from the grapevine that he still let his temper get the better of him on occasion but no so bad that she had to investigate.

Sharon really appreciated his help with the kids and she knew the kids loved it too. She was glad Ricky had a male role model to teach him how to be a man, regardless of Andy's issues he has always been a good man and has always treated women with respect; which is what she wanted for her son. She hoped that all of this change in behavior meant that they could return one day to the easy-going friendship they had when they were partners.

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October 1998

After a rocky couple of months in which Andy finally came to terms with Sharon being in FID the tow of them were finally on the road to being friends again. That was until he and Provenza got into some trouble and he blew up at her again.

"Sgt. Provenza and Sgt. Flynn, just what did you think you were doing?" Sharon asked the two of them over the rim of her glasses from where she stood behind her desk. They were seated in the chairs in front of the desk looking up at her, they had gone to apprehend a suspect and on the way back to Parker Center decided to stop for lunch. It was at this point their suspect, a 20 year old blonde model who had been sweet talking them, told them she had to go to the restroom and then slipped out the bathroom window and escaped.

"She told us she had to go to the bathroom," Andy started and Provenza finished, "what were we supposed to do? Follow her into the bathroom?"

"No. You were supposed to follow LAPD procedure and not stop for lunch with a burglary suspect. You were only 20 minutes outside the city, you should have waited." Sharon paused and looked at the two of them for a moment. Andy was clenching his fists and she could tell he was barely holding back his anger. Provenza was looking at Andy almost as if begging him not to say anything.

"It wasn't even my idea," Andy finally bellowed. "I was trying to drive and ignore the girl, I could tell she was up to something while Provenza fell for every word that came out of her mouth." As Andy finished talking he jerked his thumb in Provenza's direction as the latter man stood up and stared at him.

"You were falling for her crap too, don't tell me you weren't checking her out the whole trip in the rearview mirror." Provenza yelled at him as his face turned red in anger.

"As a matter of fact, I wasn't checking her out. I'm not into 20 year olds with a criminal record." Andy bellowed back as he stood and then turned on Sharon, "and I don't appreciate being yelled at just because my partner is a jackass. You of all people know that."

The smirk that was on her face as she watched the two of them yell at each other fell from her face at his words and her Darth Raydor mask slipped into place as she stared him down. "Sgt. Provenza you will be attending a two-day seminar on following proper procedure, you may leave. Sgt. Flynn have a seat." Provenza looked at her for a moment and then ran out the door before she could change her minds, a two-day seminar was a lot shorter than any he had been to yet and he knew Andy was in for and didn't want to stick around.

Andy watched Provenza leave before he turned back to her. He took one look at her face and knew he had messed up, they had been getting along surprisingly well and he hadn't seen that look in months. He sighed as he sat down. She watched him sit and then sat down herself and folded her hands on the desk in front of her as she studied him.

"Andy I am well aware you don't like being yelled at for other people's mistakes," she started and as he made to interrupt her, she held up her hand to silence him as she continued, "but the fact of the matter is, he is your partner and you are an adult. You were driving, you could have told Louie no and kept driving but you let him persuade you. For that you will be attending at least one day of the same seminar." He stared at her as she finished talking and then got up and walked out of her office.

Andy was mad but not at her, so he left her office before he could yell at her and say more stuff he didn't mean. He was mad at himself, he knew Sharon was right and she was only looking after him. The more he took the time to stop and think about the reasons she did things at work the more he came to realize that she had been right all along, she is not Queen of the rat squad but Queen of saving their asses. Andy knew he needed to apologize to her for yelling at her but he needed to go to a meeting and cool off first. Maybe he would go by her house later and cook her dinner or something to make up for his behavior.

Meanwhile back in her office Sharon still sat in her chair but now had her head in her hands. She didn't know what to think at the moment, she and Andy had been getting along relatively well lately and he had even been helping with the kids but then he goes and blows up on her again. She could feel a headache forming behind her eyes and looked up at the clock, it was 4:30 and close enough to the end of the day that she could cut out. She wanted to pick up the kids and go home before her headache turned into a migraine, it wouldn't be the first one this week.

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Andy stood outside Sharon's door a little before 7 that night, he had brought her and the kids dinner from her favorite Italian place. After his meeting, he had called Sandra to see if she had got the kids yet and she had, Sandra had also told him that Sharon was having one of her headaches and probably wouldn't be up for cooking dinner. Andy rung her doorbell and hoped he was right to bring food. Sharon opened the door and he could tell she was in pain but she took one look at the food in Andy's hand and smiled.

"Come on in," she said as she stepped back to allow him in, "I was just fixing to make the kids cereal for dinner, they are going to love you for bringing them actual food." She smiled at him as she walked towards her dining room where the kids were and then turned towards the kitchen once he saw them.

Andy spotted the kids and his face lit up, he really did love those two. "Hey guys, I brought y'all some food."

"Yay! I really didn't want to have to eat cereal for dinner again," Emily said with smile as she hugged Andy and took the food from him and went back to her brother. Andy rolled his eyes at her 9-year-old sass before what she said finally registered with him apparently, they had cereal for dinner for the last couple of nights. That was unlike Sharon she always made sure her kids were eating healthy which brought him to the conclusion that she hadn't been feeling well for the last couple of days. He watched the kids get settled with their food before he walked into the kitchen where Sharon was making herself some tea.

"Hey," he said as he walked in and leaned against the counter.

She finished making her tea before she turned and then sat on the counter with the tea in her hand, "Hey, thank you. I do appreciate it."

"It's not a problem Sharon," he told her while glancing at her speculatively and then asked, "so how many days this week have you had a migraine?"

She looked up at him she should have known she couldn't hide it from him, he used to be her partner and he took care of her in the past when she had migraines. "Ummmm, today makes the third day in a row…"

"I see," he said and looked down at his hands that were clasped in front of him as he nodded. "Ok, here is what we are going to do. You are going to go lay down and while the kids finish their dinner I am going to clean up," at this point he could tell she was she was about to protest so he held his hand up like she usually did to him and smirked when she narrowed her eyes as he continued, "and when they are done I will help with last minute homework and get them in bed. We both know your migraines usually don't go away until you have gotten sufficient rest."

Sharon stared at him for a minute longer before she dropped her gaze and nodded. He knew if she gave in that quickly that she really was in pain. Andy walked over to her and helped her off the counter and then shooed her down the hall as he walked into the living room to start his task.

After the kids had finished dinner, homework, and gotten ready for bed Andy decided that watching a movie wouldn't hurt. Their bedtime was usually 9:00 and it was only 8 as he put Anastasia into the VCR, it was currently Emily's favorite movie and Ricky didn't mind it because he thought the bad guy was cool. He sat down on the couch with the kids and wasn't surprised when they both snuggled up to him. Both kids fell asleep about an hour into the movie and as it turned out, so did Andy.

Sharon woke up a little after 10 and got up to get a glass of water. Her head felt decidedly better but she was going to take some more medicine so that her head felt completely better by morning. She was surprised when she walked into the living room to find the faint glow of the TV illuminating her children and Andy sleeping on the couch. She didn't want to wake any of them but Andy's back would be hurting in the morning if she left him there.

Sharon walked up to the back of the couch and gently touched Andy's should as she whispered, "Andy, Andy, come on wake up."

Andy stirred for a moment before he looked up at her with a goofy smile on his face and then pouted, "aww I was having such a nice dream."

She laughed gently and covered her mouth with her hand, "be that as it may, your back will thank me in the morning." He smiled at her as he eased himself out from under the kids and then leaned down to pick Ricky up and carry him to his bed before returning and doing the same with Emily. When he returned to the living room he straightened the couch and then walked into the kitchen where Sharon was once again sitting on the counter drinking a glass of water.

"Thank you for taking care of them," she said to him as he walked in and to her surprise jumped up and sat on the counter next to her.

"It was no problem; I love spending time with them you know that. Do you feel any better?"

"Hmmm, much better actually. Tomorrow might be the first day I can function correctly all week," she told him as she looked over at him and smiled. "And Andy I didn't just mean tonight. You have been treating my kids like they are your own lately and I can never thank you enough for any of it. You make them happy, they barely ask about Jack anymore."

Andy looked surprised at that, "I'm not doing anything special, I happen to think they are really great kids who need a father figure around."

"That is exactly why you are not and will never be like Jack, he could care less," she said with a sad smile and continued with tears in the corners of her eyes, "Lately I find myself looking at the man who used to be my best friend and I can see he is making a comeback. I'm really glad because I can really use my friend sometimes." As a tear rolled down her cheek Andy hopped off the counter and walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I am so sorry Sharon," he whispered in her hair as he held her tight. "I have been such an ass to you. I promise I am going to do better."

"That's the thing Andy, you have been doing a lot better and I cannot tell you how many times I just want to laugh about the stories I am hearing these days instead of yell."

He pulled back from the hug and looked at her quizzically. She laughed at the perplexed look on his face before she spoke again, "Andy I know you have started sticking up for me."

He smiled sheepishly at her. "I just can't listen to people say things about you anymore. Det. Miller is the worst."

She smirked again, "Oh I know, I've heard how you have dealt with him. Everyone at Parker Center things you have lost your mind since you started sticking up for and I quote 'the Queen Bitch of the Rat Squad'. I've had the Assistant Chief knocking on my door asking if I have put a spell on you."

"Yeah well…" Andy told her as he just shrugged. Before he went to speak again however, the doorbell rang. He looked at her with a questioning glance as if asking if she was expecting anyone before he walked to the front door with her right behind him. Andy opened the door to see Capt. Mathers on the other side.

"Hey Captain kind of late to be making a house call to FID isn't it?" Andy said while trying to make a joke with his boss. The smile fell from his face when he saw that the Captain wasn't laughing.

"I'm afraid this isn't a social call Andy," he said as he looked behind him to Sharon, "I'm sorry to disturb you this late Sharon but this information I have can't wait. Can I come in?"

"Of course Captain," as she spoke, Andy stepped back and then he and Sharon led the Captain into her living room before taking a seat on the couches. "So, what can I do for you?"

"Sharon I'm afraid I have some bad news," Sharon visibly straightened at his words as he hesitated slightly, "I received a call from Las Vegas PD about 2 hours ago, they found Jack dead in his apartment."

Sharon's sharp intake of breath had Andy scooting closer to her and wrapping his arm around her. She stared for a second and kept opening her mouth to say something and then closed it just as quickly before she finally spoke again almost too quietly for the Captain to hear her, "how?"

"Turns out he messed with the wrong guys and they beat him pretty good, instead of going to a hospital he went back to his apartment and drank himself to a stupor. Jack had internal injuries that were bleeding and he bled out after he passed out drunk." Sharon nodded as he finished speaking and then looked up.

"I guess I should have seen this coming one day, I just didn't want to believe it ever would happen for the sake of my kids."

"I understand that Sharon, his body is being transported here for burial," the Captain told her as he took her hand, "Know that we are all here for you right now. I know the two of you were estranged but that doesn't make this less painful, I've already spoken to your Captain and he is giving you two weeks off to be with your children."

Sharon looked ready to protest but at Andy's gentle squeeze of her shoulders she backed off and settled into his arms as Captain Mathers stood up, "I'm going to get going now, just be sure to let me know if you need anything," he nodded at Andy to follow him as he walked towards the door. Andy stood up and left Sharon on the couch as he followed his Captain.

"Andy, I'm going to give you a couple days off to help Sharon," the Captain told him as he walked out the door and turned to shake Andy's hand.

"Thank you Captain." Andy watched as the man got into his car and then walked back into the living room to find Sharon sobbing on the couch. He sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Shhhh, everything will be ok," he told her as he stroked her back.

She looked up at him and tried to wipe the tears from her face, "I don't know why I am crying. I've hated him for the better part of the last 6 years and I'm still paying off his debts."

"You are crying because despite what the man put you through, you still loved him. You loved him for the two gifts he gave you that are asleep in their beds," Andy told her as they both looked down the hallway towards the kid's rooms.

"Oh god! I'm going to have to tell my kids they will never see their dad again," she cried as the tears that had almost stopped started falling once again.

"Shhhh, It's ok. I will be right there with you if you want," he told her as he felt her nod against his chest.

"I don't think I can do it alone," she sniffled.

"Then you won't," he told her.

It hurt him to see the fierce, passionate, independent person he knew breakdown like this over that scumbag. If Jack wasn't dead Andy would hunt him down and hurt him for making Sharon so upset, logically Andy knew she wasn't this upset for her loss but more for the loss for her kids. Even if they hadn't seen him in a while, they knew he was out there and asked about him from time to time. They had asked Andy one night while they were at his house why their dad didn't love them; he had made up something about loving them but needing to work far away and they had accepted it. He guessed Sharon said similar things to them and it broke his heart that they even had to wonder about things like their father loving them, Andy knew as long as he lived his kids would never feel like that and he would do his best to make up for what was lacking with the Raydor kids.

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November 1998

In the month since Captain Mathers had knocked on Sharon's door in the middle of the night so much had happened. When she told her kids, they were upset obviously but they kind of shrugged it off, Jack had never really been around so there was nothing for them to miss now. He was always just a person who claimed to be their father but never showed the initiative to be anything of the sort. A week later they held his funeral, his family came into town but then they didn't stay very long because like Sharon, they had been expecting something like this one day.

Andy had been around constantly helping Sharon with all the arrangements and had been sticking up for her more than ever at work. Sharon didn't mind it and actually found it endearing, she oftentimes found herself daydreaming in the middle of the day. She didn't know what she was thinking her husband had just died, if him being gone for the last 3 years even factored into that, and Andy was her best friend but she found herself wishing he would just hold her like he had the night she found out Jack was gone. Andy had kept his physical distance since that night but had been there for her in every other way he could be. When she found herself thinking about him she would just shake it off and get back to work; he was her friend and nothing more.

This Thursday was Thanksgiving and once again dinner was being held at Sandra's place and the whole group would be in attendance. The whole group being Sandra, her boyfriend Brad, all 4 of the kids, Andy, Sharon, Andrea, and Gavin. Sharon was looking forward to spending some quality time with her true family, she was ready to finally put Jack behind her.

As Sharon pulled up to Sandra's house she noticed that everyone else was already there and she smiled. She got out of her car and with the kids help she managed to get the food she had brought for dinner out of the back hatch and walked up to the door as Andy opened it with a grin.

"Hey, you guys made it," he said as he leaned down to grab the casserole from Emily as she and Ricky ran into the house to find Nicole and Charlie.

"Of course, we would have been here earlier but I put the casserole in the oven too late and was waiting on it to be finished," Sharon told him. She had no idea why she was flustered all of a sudden, it was just Andy for crying out loud she scolded herself.

Andy just smirked as she passed him and then followed her to the back patio where they had set the table up for dinner. "Hey guys, look who I found," he said as he walked out behind her and everyone turned to look at them.

Sandra walked over to Sharon and gave her a hug after she had set the pies down on the table. "Finally you guys got here! Brad and I have something to tell you, " Sandra said as she walked back over to Brad before she continued, "we are getting-"

"Married," Sharon, Andrea, Gavin, and even Andy said in unison with smirks on their faces. Sandra looked at them all flabbergasted with her mouth hanging open, "but ... how did you ... ugh!"

"It is quite cute when she does that and it is not directed at me," Andy said with a chuckle as Sharon smacked him and Sandra gave her a smile in appreciation.

"Hush Andy, Sandra honey you two are meant to be. There was no way that wasn't going to be your announcement," Sharon told her as she walked around the table to give her another hug before Andrea, Gavin, and Andy did the same. Andy really liked Brad and he knew he had been really good for Sandra ever since they started dating, Brad also tended to agree with Andy sometimes so that was a plus.

The family really enjoyed their holiday, they had been through a lot in the last couple months and they could finally enjoy the ones they loved most. Sharon decided that if any night was a night to drink a couple glasses of wine then tonight was it, she was staying at Sandra's for the night so she didn't have to worry about the kids; so she indulged a bit with her friends.

At the end of the night Andy decided that he really needed to hit up the holiday meeting, Thursday was his usual meeting day and he really didn't want to miss one. The kids were already settled in Nicole's room for the night with a movie and the adults were just lounging around a bonfire in the back yard as he stood up to go. Sharon was elected to get another bottle of wine so she decided to walk Andy to the door. She gave him a hug and then leaned back to look up at his face.

The first thing Andy noticed was that her eyes were sparkling, it was good to see her so carefree and letting loose after dealing with the mess that Jackson Raydor had left behind. The next thing he noticed was the rosy hue to her cheeks and then he noticed how kissable her lips looked. He loved her, he knew that but he didn't want to ruin their friendship so he started to pull away from her before he did something he would regret.

As Sharon felt him pulling away from her she grabbed his arm tighter and stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him on his lips. Andy froze and then kissed her back for a second before he got a hold of his senses and pushed her away.

"No Sharon this isn't right," he told her.

Sharon looked down then, she thought he loved her but she realized she was wrong. She pushed away from him before she spoke, "I'm sorry Andy, I don't know what I was thinking."

"Have a good night Sharon," he told her as he walked outside shutting the door behind him. He sighed then, the woman he has been in love with just kissed him and he pushed her away he really was an idiot. Except he wasn't an idiot he believed that the only reason she kissed him was because she was grateful for his help lately and mixing alcohol with gratitude wasn't a good idea. She didn't love him and she had told him so, he was her best friend and that was it.

After Andy had walked out Sharon turned her back to the door and then slid down so she was sitting on the floor. She had finally given in and reciprocated the kiss he had once given her and she thought he would be happy, it seemed as if he had gotten tired of waiting and moved on. She sat there for another minute before pulling herself up to go get more wine and rejoin her friends outside.

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 ** _Finally, there is some good interaction between Andy and Sharon! Don't worry, they will both figure their crap out too; hopefully in the next chapter if my muse cooperates. Also, you can tell that I don't really like Jack; never have. I didn't want him to be this force that was just on the sidelines that could come back in at any moment so I killed him. Plus, my story works better in the future if he is dead. Hope you enjoyed and don't worry I'm planning the next chapter to come on Thursday night._**


	10. Sick Days

_**Ok, so I really shouldn't set expectations because life happens and I was unable to update on Thursday. For now, I am just going to say that I hope to update 1-2 times a week and maybe more depending on how much time I get to write. Thanks for your loyal readership and enjoy our two favorite idiots!**_

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 _I'll wake you up with some breakfast in bed_

 _I'll bring you coffee with a kiss on your head_

 _And I'll take the kids to school_

 _Wave them goodbye_

 _And I'll thank my lucky stars for that night_

March 1999

The next time Andy saw Sharon after she kissed him she acted as if she didn't remember it happening and the more time that passed the more Andy really did believe she had too much to drink and forgot all about it. He decided that since she didn't remember then there was no reason to bring it up because after all she didn't want him, he was just like Jack. In his mind, she was only reacting to being so upset over Jacks death and showing appreciation for his help and he didn't want to be that guy that took advantage of a grieving woman, even if they had been separated and she hadn't seen him in 3 years.

Once he got over the initial awkwardness of being around her after that night he continued to be around for the kids and helped Sharon out as much as he could when his schedule allowed, it seemed like robbery/homicide was on always working a case these days. This next week coming up his team was on standby for a well-deserved week off while the other departments took turns with their cases and Andy couldn't wait, he had plans to take the kids to a Dodgers game.

Andy picked up his kids from Sandra around 8:30 in the morning and then headed straight to Sharon's house to pick up her kids. When Andy got to the house he got out of the car with the kids on his heels, they were excited to see Aunt Sharon and pick up Emily and Ricky. As Andy entered the house using his key the first thing he noticed was the house was quiet and as he walked further into the house to the living room he found the kids on the couch dressed and watching cartoons.

"Hey guys," he said while knocking his knuckles on the wall so as not to scare the kids as he spoke. "Where is your mom?"

Emily turned around and smile when she saw Andy. "Hi Uncle Andy! Momma doesn't feel good so she went back to bed after making us breakfast," she told him as she and Ricky got up to give him a hug and say hi to Nicole and Charlie.

Andy frowned, she hadn't mentioned feeling sick when he spoke to her early this morning to verify the time he was picking the kids up. "Ok, well why don't all of you sit and watch cartoons for a bit while I go check on her huh?" After a chorus of 'Ok Andy' and 'Ok Daddy' he turned and walked down the hall to Sharon's room knocking on the door as he opened it.

"Sharon? You asleep?"

He could see her roll over in her bed as she sat up and spoke, "No I'm up, I was waiting on you."

"No don't get up," he told her as she started to move the blankets to stand. "Do you need anything? I can cancel the game and stay around here if you need me to …" It wasn't like Sharon to get sick so for her to be in bed when her kids were awake meant she really felt like crap.

She shook her head, "No don't do that, the kids are really looking forward to the game. I'll be fine, I've just got the flu. I'm going to stay in bed all day and if the kids aren't here that means I don't have to feel bad about not being up with them, you are actually doing me a favor."

"Ok. I'm really looking forward to taking them," he told her as he sat down and reached out to touch her forehead. "You'll let me know if you need anything before I get back though?" he asked with a concerned glance as he moved the back of his hand to fell her neck. Her forehead was warm and so was her neck.

"Yes I will. Let me at least give you some money," she told him as she watched him walk into her bathroom.

When he came out of the bathroom he had a wash rag in his hands and he set it on her head as he spoke, "Sharon you should know better by now than to offer, I'm not taking your money but I will take your kids."

He had wet the rag with cold water and boy did it feel good. "Alright then y'all go and enjoy the game," she told him as she settled back into her blankets and rolled onto her side to get comfortable. Andy made sure she was tucked in her bed with the rag still on her head before he stood up and walked quietly to her bedroom door where he turned to see she was already asleep then walked out to gather the troops.

Andy returned with the kids in tow around 3 in the afternoon. The game had been close but the Dodgers managed to get a home run in the last minutes to win it, the kids hadn't stopped talking about the last play since it happened. Andy hadn't heard from Sharon since he left her in the morning but he went ahead and picked up stuff for his mother's homemade chicken noodle soup on his way back. When he walked into the house with the kids happily chattering behind him it was to find the house still quiet and Sharon nowhere in sight. After he told the kids to go play in the backyard he went and knocked on her bedroom door.

"Hey Sharon," he said as he opened her door to find her sleepily opening her eyes. "Sorry I didn't mean to wake you up, I was just letting you know we were back."

"No it's fine, if the kids are here then I need to be up," she said as she shoved the blankets off of her and went to stand up before wobbling on her feet and falling back to sit on her bed. Andy rushed to her side to steady her as he spoke, "No you are not getting out of bed, I'm making soup and you are going to stay in here and rest some more. The kids are under control."

"Andy I can't ask you to do that –"

"Good thing you didn't ask, I offered," he told her with a cheeky grin as he helped her back into bed.

Sharon glared at him as he helped her into bed, she hadn't had anyone take care of her when she was sick since she was a kid. That was most likely because she didn't get sick, like at all. This flu was weird and came out of nowhere. "If you are confining me to bed you can at least help me arrange the pillows to sit up a bit, I've been laying down all day."

"That's not a problem. I also got you some tea that should help with the fever, my grandma used to give it to me as a kid." He had already started walking back toward the door when she spoke again.

"Sounds good. Thank you, Andy," she said to him as she looked up with an appreciative smile. Andy nodded and walked back into the hallway as he said, "Don't mention it."

Andy, Charlie, and Nicole ended up staying the whole weekend at Sharon's house. It was his weekend to have them and he didn't to leave her alone to take care of the kids when she could barely stand. By Sunday evening she was much better and had even gotten out of bed to sit on the back porch as the kids played but she was still going to stay home on Monday to get another day of rest. Andy and the kids were staying as well and he would just take all four of them to school the next day on his way to work.

Monday morning found Andy making pancakes in Sharon's kitchen as the kids were getting dressed, he had woken them up and laid out the clothes for the boys before going into the kitchen. He figured that since she was better she would like some coffee in addition to her one pancake so he went ahead and put a pot on, he could use the coffee himself. In all the years, he had known her he still didn't understand the one pancake thing but he would do whatever she preferred as long as she ate something.

"Sharon," Andy called out as he opened her bedroom door with a food tray and coffee in his hands.

She had just woken up to roll over and look at the clock and started to fret, she had forgotten Andy was still there to get the kids up. When she saw him she let out a sigh of relief as she remembered and thanked goodness that she didn't have to rush to get them to school on time. "Hey Andy, good morning," she said with a hint of sleep in her voice still and a small smile.

His face lit as he walked towards her and set the tray over her lap. "Good morning, your one pancake and coffee," he said to her as he smirked. He didn't know why but when he stood up he kissed her on the head before backing away. "The kids are already up and we are fixing to leave, I just wanted to make sure you were awake and got some food before I left."

If Sharon thought it was odd he kissed her on the head, she didn't show it or say anything about it. It was just part of him being a good friend and taking care of her, this was something she told herself every time he did something like this to keep herself from getting her hopes up. Meanwhile, Andy took her non-response as more of a hint that they were forever in the friend zone but he didn't mind as long as he was able to be in her life.

"Emily, Ricky," he hollered out the doorway, "come say bye to mom before I take y'all to school." They heard the patter of the kids running down the hallway and then not only Emily and Ricky but Nicole and Charlie came busting into the room and running over to the bed. Sharon gave all four a hug while keeping her mouth turned away from them, she was pretty much over being sick but she wanted to try to avoid the kids getting it as well.

After the kids said their goodbyes, Andy did as well and then he loaded them all up in his car and headed towards their school. He held the door open for the kids as they all piled out at the school and as they hugged him and ran off towards their classrooms he waved them goodbye. He didn't know how he had gotten lucky to not only have his own two kids but to be a part of the lives of two others, he thanked his lucky stars for every day he got to spend with them and especially for the night he met Sharon.

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 _ **So this is a relatively short chapter but I wanted to give y'all an update and I kind of felt like this was a good place to leave our 10th chapter! Thanks for sticking with me this far. I'm already working on the next chapter and hope to have it up early this week.**_


	11. When realization creeps in

**_Disclaimer: I am from the south so grammar slip ups like "y'all" and phrases like "fixing to …." are going to happen and I am not always going to catch it because for one I don't have a beta and two I don't see anything wrong with it since everyone around me uses those phrases. And again, this story is AU and completely my own and I will write it however I want._**

 ** _Also none of these characters belong to me except for Brad._**

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 _When you looked over your shoulder_

 _For a minute, I forget that I'm older_

 _I wanna dance with you right now_

 _Oh, and you look as beautiful as ever_

 _And I swear that everyday you'll get better_

 _You make me feel this way somehow_

June 1999

After the weekend Andy spent taking care of Sharon they seemed to grow much closer. Andy was back to being her closest friend and the one she confided the most in, she still had Gavin, Andrea, and Sandra but Andy was the one who heard most of it. It was very normal during the week to find him at her house for dinner and on the weekends when he had his kids he would stay the night so all the kids could be together. The four kids were more like siblings than just friends and seemed to suffer from separation anxiety when apart, at least that is what Nicole and Emily tried to convince all of the adults.

Sandra's wedding was getting closer and she was a nervous wreck, so to help her out Andy had the kids most of the time at Sharon's house while Sharon was with Sandra and the others to finish the preparations. Sharon, Andrea, and Gavin were in the bridal party as the bridesmaids with Brads brothers as his groomsmen.

The day of the wedding was upon them. Andy was responsible for getting all the kids dressed and keeping them wrangled in while all the women prepared for the big day. They were currently in the bridal room at St. Catherine's. Andy and Sandra had both agreed to obtain an annulment to their marriage so that she would be free to marry within the Catholic church and him too should that day ever come. They both decided it was best since they both still agreed that they never should have gotten married to begin with, they did not regret their children of course but the two of them just were not right for each other. Sandra was still holding out hope that Andy would get his stuff together enough to tell Sharon how he felt about her.

Once Sharon finished buttoning the back of Sandra's dress she twirled around to find all her friends with tears in their eyes. They had all been with her when she picked it out but now that she had it on with her hair and makeup done ready to walk down the aisle she looked absolutely breathtaking.

"You are all a bunch of saps," Sandra told them all with a chuckle. Sharon grabbed her by the arms and spun her so she could see herself in the mirror. When she saw herself she had a sharp intake of breath as her jaw dropped and she got a little teary eyed herself.

"Now who is the sap," Gavin quipped. Andrea reached over and smacked him at that and then walked over to Sandra before wrapping her arms around her. "You look beautiful and Brad is not going to know what hit him when he sees you," she told her with a smile.

"Thank you guys. I am so glad you all agreed to be here with me today."

"We wouldn't be anywhere else," Sharon told her as she reached for Sandra's hand and started to tug her towards the door. "Now come on let's go get you hitched."

The wedding went perfectly with no issues and they all moved on to the reception. The reception was being held at a banquet hall close to the beach with very large windows that let in a lot of light during the day and would allow them all to see the sunset in the background. On one side of the building there was a patio that overlooked the beach and on the other side there was a garden courtyard that had a gazebo, it was the perfect place for the wedding pictures and the very reason they had picked this place to house the reception.

Most of the wedding guests had cleared out by now and it was only close family and friends left. Andy and Brad had the kids out on the dance floor doing all the line dances and Sandra, Sharon, Gavin, and Andrea were all sitting off to the side laughing as they watched two grown men make fools of themselves to please the children.

"So was today everything you imagined it to be?" Sharon asked Sandra without taking her eyes off the kids. Sandra glanced at her before she responded, "You know what? It actually was. When I pictured my perfect wedding day when I was a kid I never would have guessed that it would include my ex-husband or that he would get along so great with the new husband."

Sharon smirked, "Yeah I never would have pictured that either. Of course, that will never happen with me, Jack is dead and I don't foresee myself getting married again." The whole time she spoke she never took her eyes off of her kids with Andy. Sandra and the other two shared a look before Gavin spoke with a gleeful smirk, "Are you sure Sharon, you seem to have your sights set on someone right now."

Sharon slowly turned her eyes away from the kids to find the three of them staring at her. "Hmmm, what are you talking about?"

"Just the fact that lately you can't seem to take your eyes off of Andy whenever he is around," Andrea told her as Gavin and Sandra nodded in agreement.

"Me and Andy? That is funny, no he is just a really good friend you all know that. He has been there for me a lot since Jack died."

"Mmmmhmmmm, I don't think either one of you only wants to just be friends…" Sandra added.

"Seriously? Andy is not interested in me like that. He is there for the kids because he feels bad their own father turned out to be a deadbeat and that is all there is."

"Sharon that man is constantly looking at you when you aren't aware, he has more than friendship on his mind," Sandra continued.

"I don't think so, besides I'm pretty sure he is dating someone right now anyway," she told the three of them before standing up to go get them all more wine.

As she walked away they all quickly turned to each other. "She is in some serious denial," Andrea said. "How does she not see it?" Gavin added as Sandra shook her head, "I don't know but those two seriously need to get a clue." Sharon returned with their wine and went to sit down as _I Wanna Dance with Somebody_ started playing and she quickly stood back up dragging the others with her over to the kids and started dancing with the kids.

 _Clock strikes upon the hour_

 _And the sun begins to fade_

 _Still enough time to figure out_

 _How to chase my blues away_

 _I've done alright up 'til now_

 _It's the light of day that shows me how_

 _And when the night falls_

 _Loneliness calls_

Gavin slyly pulls Emily and Nicole over to dance with him as Andrea grabs Charlie and Ricky and Sandra snags Brad, which leaves Andy and Sharon together. She doesn't care, it's not the first time they've danced together but she doesn't notice the looks the others are sending in their direction as the music continues. They planned the dance partners on purpose, the only ones who didn't know that were Sharon and Andy.

As they danced Andy thought once again how lucky he was to have Sharon in his life, she looked really beautiful tonight and all he wanted to do was dance with her. Each and every day that he was around her she seemed to become more and more of an amazing woman and he couldn't help but think he was still falling for her. He just wish she felt the same, for now he would take what he could get.

 _Oh I wanna dance with somebody_

 _I wanna feel the heat with somebody_

 _Yeah I wanna dance with somebody_

 _With somebody who loves me_

 _Oh I wanna dance with somebody_

 _I wanna feel the heat with somebody_

 _Yeah I wanna dance with somebody_

 _With somebody who loves me_

As Andy twirls Sharon around while keeping her close with a tight grip she smiles at him and then laughs when he pulls a funny face and continues dancing. The others are still watching the two as they dance across the floor.

Gavin smirks as the three lean towards each other and sarcastically says, "Oh yeah they are definitely not into each other."

Andrea laughs as she agrees with an eye roll, "Nope definitely not."

"They seriously just need to come to their senses," Sandra adds as she and Brad dance away laughing.

 _I've been in love and lost my senses_

 _Spinning through the town_

 _Sooner or later the fever ends_

 _And I wind up feeling down_

 _I need a man who'll take a chance_

 _On a love that burns hot enough to last_

 _So when the night falls_

 _My lonely heart calls_

As Andy continues pulling Sharon across the dance floor she laughs and grips him tighter. They dance to a couple more songs after the first before Sharon needs a break, she thanks Andy for dancing with her and goes back to sit down with the other three as the kids resume their play dancing with Andy and Brad. She is the last to get back to their table and finds the other three looking at her.

"What? Do I have something on my face?"

They all shook their heads and looked at one another as if almost silently deciding who would speak, Gavin was the lucky winner. "You just looked awfully comfortable dancing with Andy is all."

"Oh geez, you three are still on this kick. Andy is a really good friend and nothing more. I am comfortable around him which is why I am comfortable dancing with him. So just let it go would you?"

Sandra raised her hands as if in defeat, "Ok we will drop it. Now are you sure you are still ok to keep the kids this week? Andy said he would but his team is working on some big case and he won't be home much."

"Yes, I will be fine. I actually took the week off so we could do something fun since the kids are out of school for summer," Sharon told her with a smile.

Around midnight they all decided it was time to turn in for the night, they all had a hotel nearby. Sandra and Brad were heading out to the airport to go to London in the morning and everyone else would be staying at the hotel for the next couple of days.

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For the whole week after the wedding Sharon had all four kids and even though Andy said he would stop by he never got the chance because they caught a high-profile case and he barely left the office. With Andy not around for a while Sharon was able to really think about their relationship. Even though she told her friends that her and Andy were just really good friends she was starting to have doubts.

She always felt so happy to just be around him more than she ever did in Jacks presence and she couldn't help but wonder why. Even if she did like him there was nothing she could do about as she believed him to have a girlfriend.

Andy was pissed. The whole week his ex was on her honeymoon he was not able to see his kids once because of the case they caught. They spent the whole week at Sharon's and he not just his kids but her and her kids too. The only person he had time to speak to in the past week was his new sponsor, Allie MacIntosh. She was pretty and not much older than Andy, if he was still the same guy from a couple of years ago he would have asked her out by now even though she was married but he had eyes for only one woman, even if she didn't feel the same.

The day Sandra got back from her honeymoon was the first day Andy was able to make it over to Sharon's house to ses the kids. Sandra was sitting on the patio with Sharon and Brad was in the yard with the kids when he got there. He said hello to the women as he passed them and went to join the kids.

Sandra looked over at Sharon after Andy walked away to find her staring as his retreating form. They were seated on the lounge chairs with a glass of wine in hand.

"Sharon, Sharon," she called to her and wasn't getting a response. "Hello, earth to Sharon," she said as she reached over to wave her hand in front of Sharon's face.

"Huh, oh I'm sorry. What were you saying?" she asked as she finally turned back to Sandra who had a smirk on her face.

"I was saying that next time we go to London, you and the kids need to come with."

"Oh yeah definitely," Sharon told her as she turned back to watch Andy with the kids. Sandra doubted that Sharon even heard what she just agreed to. She knew it was time to share the information she had recently discovered from her ex the last time she spoke to him.

"Did I tell you I found out who Andy's 'girlfriend' was?" Sandra asked using air quotes when she said girlfriend. Sharon gave her a head shake as she took her eyes off Andy again and nodded for her to continue. "Turns out she is not his girlfriend. She is his new sponsor and happens to be married." Sandra could tell when the realization swept over Sharon as she understood what she had just been told.

"Oh really," she said with interest. She was wrong about him having a girlfriend but that still didn't change anything, they were just friends.

"Yeah. You know in the last couple of years there has only been one woman that I know Andy has had his eyes on." Sharon turned to give her a puzzled look. "He was always just scared she didn't feel the same way since they are friends."

"You are not talking about me are you? We've been over this, Andy is not into me."

"Yes, actually, I am talking about you. Sharon that man is totally into you and has only ever had eyes for you, it started before we even got married. I've never said anything because I wanted you two to figure it out yourselves, but you are taking entirely too long so it is time for me to give you a shove in the right direction."

"I don't think that is true. Especially since you two got married. The first time I met him he was sad because you had broken up with him."

"It is true. And the funny thing about that is that I would have been happy if I never got back with Andy, but Provenza misunderstood who Andy was pining for and came to my apartment to tell me to fix it. I decided that if he was that upset then I would try to make it work and I did. Andy never told Provenza about the girl he was really pining for."

"Sandra I don't know what to say. That must have hurt you so much when you figured it out."

Sandra seemed to almost ignore the comment as she looked out at the kids when she heard a screech, they were all climbing on Brad making him fall to the ground. She and Sharon laughed at them before resuming their conversation. "Sharon did Andy ever tell you why I filed for divorce," she asked as she sighed and turned her eyes away from the children to look back at her friend.

"What do you mean? I thought it was because of the drinking and the fighting that you told me about," Sharon responded with a quizzical expression on her face.

"Well yes, that was part of it but the main reason is that Andy was never really in love with me-"

Sharon cut her off before she could continue, "What are you talking about of course he loved you?"

"I know he loves me but he was never IN love with me, he's been in love with someone else since before we even got married. He never thought he would get the chance with her so he settled for me, I've always known but I thought as long as she wasn't in our lives that I could live with it. Then that case with the missing twins came about a couple of years ago and he started having nightmares and calling out for her in his sleep. I couldn't deny it any longer after that because I realized the person that Andy has been pining for and has been in love with all these years is you Sharon."

Sharon looked at Sandra surprised at her words and still trying to make sense of them as she replied, "No you're wrong, Andy is not in love with me. We're just friends."

"Sharon think about it, that man has always done everything he can for you without asking for anything in return, we don't count the couple of years that he was an ass. But even then when he was an ass to you he still took the time for your kids and made sure they received the same amount of attention as ours. When you finally stop lying to yourself, you will see that what I'm saying is the truth," Sandra told her with a very serious no-nonsense tone in her voice. "Open your eyes Sharon."

"I ... I ... I don't even know what to say," Sharon stuttered out, "I mean I guess it's always been there and I've just decided it was best to ignore it."

"Sharon, Andy isn't the only one who has been hiding who they are in love with. You love him too, I can see it in your eyes every time you look at him or talk to him or heck anytime you think about him."

"No, I loved Jack. I barely knew Andy before we saw each other again at the academy."

"Deny it all you want Sharon, but you know what I am saying is the truth." Sharon stayed silent so Sandra prodded her some more, "Just admit you love the man and go tell him before he moves on because he thinks that you really aren't interested."

"Even if I felt the same way about Andy I wouldn't do that to you, it would be like I took him from you. I can't handle that; you were married to him for 8 ½ years."

"Sharon the way I look at it, I was the one that took Andy away from you a long time ago and its time I gave him back," she told her as she stood up and drug Sharon with her. Sandra then pushed Sharon towards the yard where Brad and Andy were still playing with the kids, "Now go tell him you love him."

After a moment, Sharon finally took a step forward and then after a couple of steps she started running and calling out to Andy as she did, "Andy, Andy, Andy"

He looked up from the kids right as Sharon reached him and wrapped her arms around him. Before he knew what was happening Sharon had pressed her soft lips against his, Andy froze for a half second before he finally returned her embrace and started kissing her back. Sandra and the kids started cheering and Andy could hear Sandra yell out, "It's about damn time!"

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 ** _I have had the scene with Andy and Sharon finally getting together written since before I published chapter 5, it just took forever for me to finally get to this point. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as our two lovebirds finally came to their senses._**


	12. Fireworks

_**Hey look I'm back! I've got a great new chapter for you all, enjoy!**_

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After Sharon and Andy finally came to their senses they decided to keep to themselves for a little while and simply enjoy each other's company. It was for that very reason that they had not spoken to their friends for the entire next week. Both of them had taken the week off before they had gotten together and were surprised that the other managed to have the week off as well. For the whole week, they didn't leave Sharon's house, they just spent time together with the kids.

The kids had been wanting to go camping but the weather did not cooperate so they ended up pitching tents in the living room. Andy and Sharon had just finished cleaning up her living room and sent all four of the kids out to play in the backyard while they settled in to watch a movie together when they heard the front door open. They weren't alarmed as the only people who had a key to her house were her friends and they were expecting to hear from Gavin and Andrea in person sooner than later.

To say Gavin was peeved at his so called best friend would be an understatement. He was away on business when Sharon finally told Andy she had feelings for him. Immediately upon his return he drove straight to her house to confront them as he had a feeling Andy would be there as well. Sandra had called him and Andrea to fill them in the second she had gotten home from Sharon's house that day to share the good news.

Sharon looked up when she felt someone staring at them to find Gavin with a pout on his face and tapping his foot. She smirked at the picture he made and snuggled further into Andy's side before speaking.

"Hi Gavin, is there something I can help you with?" she asked him while turning her eyes back to the movie.

Gavin just looked between her and Andy who was barely holding in his laughter as he pulled Sharon closer to his chest before their friend finally, "You couldn't wait until I got back from my trip before you decided to jump his bones?" he asked as he put his hands on his hips which only exaggerated the pouty look he already had on his face.

Sharon turned her head to look up at Andy and gave him a kiss before looking back at Gavin, "What can I say? I couldn't resist anymore ….. actually Sandra helped me to finally see what had been right in front of my face for a long time and I'm not apologizing just because it came at an inconvenient time for you."

"Hey now nobody said anything about apologizing I just meant that I wish I was there," he told her while sitting down on the sofa at her feet which made her have to sit up. Sharon stood up and smacked Gavin on the arm and went to go collect the kids out of the yard for dinner.

Once Sharon was outside wrangling the kids, Gavin turned to face Andy: "I know we have been trying to get the two of you to admit your feelings for a long time but I swear Andy if you hurt her you will regret it, I could make your life hell and I'm sure Andrea would help me."

"Andrea will help you what?" as if her ears had been burning the blonde whom they were talking about just walked into the living room throwing her keys on the entryway table as she made her way to sit next to Gavin.

Gavin turned to look at her and just smiled as he said, "Oh I was just telling Andy here that if he hurt Sharon he would live to regret it, as I'm sure you agree."

"Oh yes most definitely," Andrea replied just as the kids came running in the house followed by Sharon who closed and locked the back door before turning to her friends.

"Would ya'll quit threatening Andy and either help me make dinner or entertain the kids," she told the two before making her way to the kitchen, "your choice."

Gavin and Andrea both looked at each other with wide eyes before scrambling to get their hands up in front of them for an old-fashioned game of rock, paper, scissors to decide who got first choice to interrogate Sharon or go play with the only kids they happened to like. As Andrea jumped up in victory after beating Gavin and ran into the kitchen Andy shook his head and slapped Gavin on the back as he got up to follow the sounds of laughter to where the kids were.

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After spending their week in seclusion with each other and their kids Sharon and Andy decided it was time to finally fill in their co-workers to the change in their relationship status. They wanted to have fun with telling them as everyone in RHD had been hating on Sharon for years since she transferred to FID. They decided to have a joint BBQ at Sandra's house but the two squads would not know the other was invited until they arrived. It would be held at Sandra's because it was bigger and had the pool and Andy's team wouldn't get suspicious.

Since it was so close to the 4th of July it gave them the perfect excuse for getting everyone together and Andy couldn't wait to play with fireworks, he and the kids had gone and picked everything out while Sharon was finishing up at work the Friday before the party.

The morning of the party found everyone at Sandra's, the women were decorating and making side dishes in the house while the men were outside cooking on the grill, setting up canopies, and getting their firework station ready.

"Hey Sharon so do your teams really have no clue that the other is going to be here today?" Andrea asked her as she was finishing up her ambrosia salad.

Sharon shook her and head before looking up from the stove and said, "No they have no clue, my team did wonder why the party was here at first but I reminded them my backyard is very small and they seemed to accept that."

"And what about your relationship, so any of them suspect?" Sandra asked as she walked into the room and joined in the conversation.

"Andy said Provenza seemed a little suspicious but he got over it when he found out Andrea was making her ambrosia salad," Sharon told them as she laughed a little. Andrea turned and looked at them all as she said with a laugh, "No one can resist my salad except Gavin and that's just because he's not normal."

"Hey now I take offence to that," he said as he walked over and smacked Andrea on the arm. She looked at him with the "are you serious right now face" before he relented and said, "Ok fine your right but in my defense I don't eat any sweets really."

"Yes we are aware of that, haha" Sandra said as she and Sharon picked up more decorations to take outside. They were going all out for this party and were thinking of making it an annual thing if everything turned out well.

A little while later as the two teams started to arrive things got a bit tense at first when RHD realized the "rat squad" was also going to be at the party until they saw the FID team drinking and playing horseshoes; it was like they saw them as people and not the traitors they always made them out to be. It wasn't until Provenza arrived that they got their chance to let everyone in on their little secret.

As he walked into the backyard and looked at everyone who was gathered there he said, "so did you two finally take your head out of your butts and realize what we all knew?"

"I'm not sure what you are talking about Louie," Andy said as he walked over to Sharon and kissed her before wrapping his arms around her waist and looking at his best friend, "our heads were never 'up our butts' they were in the clouds dreaming of the other." Sharon started laughing as he finished talking before kissing Andy again and going to help Sandra, Andrea, Gavin bring the food out.

Both the RHD and FID teams all seemed to be dumbfounded at first before they started hollering at each other about who won the ongoing bet and who owed who money. It was this that Sharon and the others walked into as they set the food on the table set up.

"Wait a minute, so both of our teams were actually getting along when it comes to betting on mine and Andy's relationship?" Sharon asked with a slight smirk on her face.

Det. Gabe Miller was the first one to speak, "I mean yeah, there was no missing the sexual tension between the two of you. Especially when it seemed like you were getting your kicks pissing Flynn off by sending him to all those seminars." Everyone gathered all busted out laughing including both Captains of the departments.

"Well then, I guess that settles that then." Sharon said as she joined in laughing with the rest.

"Alright everyone now that all the food is done, let's eat!" Sandra said as she put the last dish on the table.

As night started falling everyone gathered their chairs and got set up to watch the fireworks display that had been set up. The kids were disappointed that they didn't get to help light them but both Andy and Brad had told them it was for adults only and they promised to let them help when they are older. So, this was how Sharon, Sandra, Andrea, Gavin all ended up with kids in their laps even though they were all getting too big to do that.

Andy and Brad set off fireworks continually for 30 minutes before their big finale, all with Provenza "supervising" them as he sat right next to where they were drinking his beer.

Once all the fireworks were done the kids went to help clean it all up as everyone else helped Sharon Sandra to clean up the backyard and around the house. Both teams enjoyed themselves and everyone agreed to making it a yearly thing, they actually enjoyed spending the afternoon with their co-workers whom they never would have thought they would get along with.

After everyone had left except their main group they put the kids to bed as they were all staying the night at Sandra's and then went and sat around the bonfire to hang out with just themselves. Sandra sat snuggled up with Brad, Sharon was snuggled up with Andy, and Andrea and Gavin were sitting across from them all. They were all content to just sit together and enjoy the company until Andrea spoke up.

"So Andy, Sharon, how is it finally being together," she asked them as she took another sip of her wine. She would definitely be sleeping in Sandra's guest room as she was more than a bit tipsy. Gavin probably would be too by the look of it. It was nothing new, Sandra's guest room was practically their room anyway.

Sharon snuggled deeper into his side as he spoke for the both of them, "It's better than I ever dreamed it would be. I finally have the woman of my dreams. No offense to you Sandra." Andy told them as he kissed Sharon on the top of her head and then looked to his ex-wife.

"Oh god, no offense taken. We've been over this you two, I am more than ok with the two of you. Everyone deserves to be with their soulmate and since I'm with mine, you two definitely deserve to be with yours." Sandra said to the two of them as she looked up at Brad and he gave her a kiss and then pulled her in tighter against his side.

"Sandra I don't know how to ever thank you enough for giving me that final push," Sharon started to say as Sandra cut her off again. "Nope no more thanking me and being worried about my feelings so please just live your life" she told them before asking a question that had been on her mind, "how did the kids react when you told them?"

Sharon looked to Andy before they both started laughing, everyone was slightly baffled by the reaction. "So I take it not good then?" Brad hesitantly asked.

"Oh god no total opposite, they were all soooo happy and started asking us when we were getting married," Sharon answered them as she continued laughing.

Gavin perked up at that and continued with the next question, "And what did y'all tell them?"

At this they both calmed down and Andy looked down to Sharon before looking up at the rest of them, "I told them that we would be just not anytime soon and that we wanted to be together for awhile before taking that step." Andy looked back at Sharon and placed a kiss on her lips before looking back at their friends.

"Damn I was hoping you would have said soon," Sandra said to them and started laughing at their reaction on their faces.

"Are you in a hurry to marry us off?" Sharon asked with a smirk.

"Oh heavens no, no rush, I just have all this leftover wedding stuff that I was hoping to pawn off," she responded as they all busted out laughing. Sandra then said with a smirk, "Now I have the kids for the night and you two have the night off so why don't you get going huh?" Andrea and Gavin giggled and started whispering amongst themselves as Sandra finished speaking. Even though they had now been "together" for almost a month they hadn't actually had a night to themselves to actually be together just the two of them.

Sharon looked up to Andy as she said to him, "she's right, what are we sill doing here?" and then looked to Sandra, "Thank you so much for keeping them tonight, I'll come pick them up tomorrow afternoon." Andy stood and pulled Sharon up with him as they approached his ex-wife and her new husband to say goodbye.

"Don't worry about it Sharon, you had the kids for almost two weeks straight after the wedding, they can stay here for a couple days and give you a break," Brad said to her as she was giving him a hug.

"Well thank you both very much, we are gonna pop in and check on the kids and then head out," she told them as she finished her way around the group with Andy right behind her. The two of them stopped in Nicoles room to look in on the girls and then Charlies room to check the boys before heading out to the car and back to Sharon's house, the 4th of July was not over yet and they still had their own fireworks to make.

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 ** _Yay new chapter is done! This story has maybe 3 chapters left, but I do have an outline ready for the sequel "I won't let go". Be on the lookout for more updates soon._**


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